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Reviewer Name Review Body
Anonymous This was a 5 week intensive data science course for  people coming from academia ( MSc/PhDs). You are expected to have some experience of scripting before hand (typically Python or R). The course makes the student familiar with the way of working in on data science problems in non-academic sectors (e.g. commercial, government or charity) where the deliverables are very different to ones one might be used to in academia. Typically working in groups of 3-4 on a project assigned by a company, the course forces you to learn things quickly, whether it be new coding languages or new  data analysis concepts and methods. Also you are encouraged to work to a more formal way or deligating tasks and working to targets (e.g. the SCRUM framework). This was a very steep learning curve for the first couple of  weeks for someone who has been working in accademia for 10+ years. One has to abandon conceptions of learning everything about a topic or working on a project to perfection, and focus on delivering objectives efficiently and effectively. Group work is another really big focus of the course. regular communication is essential between the group members and with the company. The fact this course is virtual presents a bit of a challenge compared to a physical face-to-face interaction. However we were able to use the tools we had (zoom, skype, trello, slack) to ensure were worked together effectively. By the end of the course, we had learned a great deal, both in terms of technical and softer skills (group working, communication, remote working). The company we were assigned was very happy with our final product which was very fulfilling, in a way a academic work is not. The course also had some excellent lectures on hunting and applying for data science jobs and understanding what to expect in different sectors. I would highly recommend this course to anyone wishing to transition from academia to data science. It's a fantastic way to get experience and insight into the industry without having to jump straight into it blind.