Data Science For All / Empowerment

The mission of C1 and its DS4A program is unique and will make an impact on the diversity of the DS field. The program includes subprograms; Prefoundational Python and Data Science. The program is very competitive. The quality and pace of the lectures, the expertise that the instructors and TAs offered, and the professional development and networking and career opportunities that C1 provided at NO COST to the participants were all excellent. 

Before joining the DS4A / Empowerment community, I did not fully understand the depth of how data science, machine learning, and business concepts are used across various fields and industries. I also had no coding experience. Needless to say, I was met with a major learning curve, and I was skeptical of how I could progress through the curriculum. Yet, from the very beginning, I was included and felt a sense of belonging. Fellows were given numerous avenues of support, and we were encouraged to learn and seek out support in order to succeed. I never felt belittled or that there was a question that could not be asked. There were also community groups and virtual social events where you could meet with people from similar backgrounds (and MANY different backgrounds were represented!). Keeping an open mind, I leaned in and took a chance on my growth: spending time studying and reviewing materials; joining informal study sessions outside of lectures; and being inspired to pursue what seemed impossible only a few months before. Instructors encouraged us whenever we met hurdles and peers supported one another in sharing resources (and their time!) to work through challenges. For a complete beginner to data science, this program challenged me to create a new narrative around the biases and assumptions I had created in working with data and working with others. We also had amazing opportunities to know how to apply for future opportunities, whether job-related or continuing education, through career development workshops. It is one thing to have acquired these skills and yet another to know how to navigate them in the real world. Career development was very informative, and once again, you will understand your influence in the opportunities that are available. I highly recommend this program, especially if you are in a position where you would like to attain data skills and do not have the financial means or support to do so. You will get as much out of the program as you put into it. I must strongly emphasize that the program requires consistent commitment, especially if you are a beginner. If you do not stay committed to learning and participating, it is very easy to get overwhelmed and fall behind. You may also be tempted to not ask questions or reach out for help. This may require vulnerability and perhaps discomfort for those with a solitary learning style, yet you will excel personally and professionally if you make sure you set time to review and seek support. Do not underestimate the power of community and how many people are willing to help and support you. This behavior was exceptionally evident. We were provided the long-term view of the influence of our late nights and Saturday sessions. We were not only learning new skills but becoming change agents for a world that desperately needs all voices represented in our work, to mitigate the bias and stigma that can be attributed to a lack of diverse voices and leaders. Although the program is free, the value is instilled in the process on knowing how to work within a team; how to cultivate leadership; how to troubleshoot when you can not find a solution; how to give grace to oneself when you feel defeated; how to use critical thinking when working through a business case or problem; and how to give back to others who are going along with you on the journey. Take a chance on your growth through this program, wherever you are. You will be included, encouraged, and supported.

The learning of simple and powerful tools with Python, sql and EXCEL was amazing, the teachers kind and experts on the subject

I was introduced to correlation by a mentee of mine. I applied with little to no expectations because I wasn't really looking to change my job. The program exposed to many aspects of Data Science field, it helped me to learn more statistical models and most importantly it brought me into a community of people that are more than willing to lift you up.The stories of the people I met during this program was as rich as the program itself and I have become friend with many of them. I highly recommend this program to everybody - young, old and everyone in-between.

This program was amazing and I would highly recommend to anyone who is interested in data science!  It is mostly taught by a Harvard instructor Natesh Pillai, who is an outstanding professor and communicates the most challenging concepts in very easy to grasp terms.  You can tell he is very passionate about teaching and wants his students to succeed.  Other top-quality professors and students are also involved in teaching the class, passing down their knowledge across various fields of data science.  The other outstanding part of the program is access to the internal job network with corporate sponsors and professional development sessions with the sponsors.  Class material was very comprehensible and digestible.  Team work on a capstone project was also a big part of the program and offered numerous opportunities to practice the skills learned in class.

If you’re here because you’re considering applying to DS4A Empowerment, stop what you’re doing now and apply! This program is truly life-changing. Never have I ever been surrounded by such a diverse group of individuals who had the same goal in mind...to learn. Upskilling is hard, but learning has become the new currency nowadays. If you want a new job, you’re going to have to show that you’re a continuous learner. What better way to do that than through a free data science program?!I really enjoyed my time throughout the program. To lay it out there though, it’s definitely a time commitment. It’s the sort of program that you get as much out of it as you put into it. If you start the extended cases a few days before they’re due, you’re not going to learn as much as you would have if you started them weeks before. If you put a ton of effort into the final project, you’ll strengthen your bond with the other fellows around you and will end up with an incredible project at the end of the program. One you can show employers and interviewers and land your dream job!A little bit more about the structure of the program though...once you’ve decided to apply, you’re going to have to fill out an application. You’ll then be prompted to complete a technical assessment. If you make it past that round, then you’ll move on to a virtual interview that is self-recorded. Don’t fret, this is not a Coded Bias episode, the videos are watched by Correlation One staff. They work tirelessly to recruit the right people into this program. Once you’re in, you’ll be notified of whether or not you need to take 3-4 week the pre-foundational course. It’ll be self-paced but you may have to meet periodically with a project team to work through some of the problems you’re all facing on the assignments. Meetings are mandatory. Make sure you work hard in this portion of the program, because you need to pass the pre-foundational program to make it into the full Empowerment program.The full Empowerment program consists of various homework assignments in addition to lectures. Some of the assignments are quick review modules that should take no more than a few hours to complete. Some are long, case-like assignments that can take upwards of 2 weeks to complete, depending on how much time you’re dedicating per week. Think of them as mini projects that you’d complete in a work environment. All assignments are in place to hone your skills and prepare you for a real-world job in data. In addition to the homework assignments, you’ll be working on a capstone project with a team of about 6-7 other people. This project is one that you own, from conception to production. You and your teammates come up with something you’re all passionate about and you’ll use the skills that you learn along the way in the program to solve it and create a final product (i.e. an interactive dashboard). After 4-ish months of hard work, the program will conclude and you’ll find yourself being able to solve problems that you never thought were possible! All while being contacted by recruiters and hiring managers through the C1 Connect job platform exclusively available to DS4A fellows and alumni! The number of jobs that are available on this platform exceeded my expectations. And a lot of them were posted specifically for DS4A fellows and alums! I got numerous interviews and even made it to the final round for a couple of them before accepting an offer elsewhere. I’ll close with...the DS4A network is ABSOLUTELY incredible. My current job, as an Insights Analyst at LinkedIn, I found out about through a DS4A alum. While it wasn’t a referral or a posting through C1 Connect, I would not have made it to my dream company had it not been for the DS4A network. I’m so honored to have been a part of this program and cannot wait to see where it takes me. And where it takes you!Apply apply apply! It’s so worth it!

This program was fantastic. It had theoretical and practical teachings and mixed in professional development and career exploration opportunities. If you come in with no Python experience, this will be a huge learning curve for you to overcome. I took one course and actually struggled initially. It's hard to get a gauge of whether the content was difficult to master or that I did not put enough time into my learning, however I do think if they provided readings or supplementary practice for the code that we learned, it would've been easier for students to follow along in class and not fall behind.    Something I did not like was the lack of guidance for the final project and the very small offering of entry level roles through sponsor partnerships. It was expected that people with no data science, and sometimes no business or research background, take a data set and produce something useful. All we had was a mentor to give us guidance once a month and then a TA (who has a full time job as well) to support 20 groups. I think the idea was great but the execution not so much. Secondly, many of the job postings that they had on the website were like mid level and higher positions. Makes me wonder if theres a mismatch in the needs of organizations and training provided, or if more of the students accepted into this program actually already had substantial experience in data science.

Data Science for All (DS4A)/ Empowerment is a virtual data analytics training and jobs program, made available for free to qualifying students and professionals from underrepresented communities, providing new pathways to economic opportunity in the world’s fastest-growing industries.

My experience in the Correlation-One DS4A/Empowerment training fellowship was amazing. To give context on my background, I have two graduate degrees and attended two universities that are consistently ranked in the top-5 university programs in the world. I also have several years of management experience at Fortune-100 companies and despite these credentials, I have found it near impossible to find work in the technology sector. Part of the reason (I believe) is that technology firms are historically underrepresented by BIPOC/LBGTQ+/Veterans/Women. In fact, this is the problem Correlation-One aims to solve. The other reason for not finding meaningful work in the technology sector was my lack of data analytic skills. I have always been a consumer of analytics --BUT-- I was never a producer of data or analytics. And while some professionals may never need to be data producers (i.e., someone that captures, wangles, and publishes meaningful data insights), Correlation-One believes that for the aforementioned underrepresented groups this is a critical skillset needed to get into tech-forward companies and excel at those companies. I agree.The genius behind this data science training is that you, the learner, will never have to rely on just one vocational sector. Data science and analytics impacts just about everything, from healthcare to equity trading to solving the COVID-19 crisis. And the best part about attaining this knowledge is that you can use these skills for the rest of your life. You can work for a company. You can become a consultant. You can do one-off, ad-hoc projects. There is literally no limit to what you can do once you become a data scientist or analyst. As for me, simply mentioning on my LinkedIn profile that I was accepted into the DS4A program generated a lot of conversations with recruiters from top-tier, household name technology companies... before I even matriculated from the program! That is the opportunity that comes with being a fellow in the Correlation-One program.About the program: You do not need to know how to code prior to admission. You will go through a pre-foundational Python course (that you must complete successfully) prior to moving to the focus of the program, data analytics. During the pre-foundational Python program the instructors literally lead you by the hand to make sure you understand what you are learning. They want you to succeed. I have been a part of "weed-out" academic programs and this is not one of them. This is an "all-in" program where everyone from the co-founders to the TA's to the mentors want you to succeed. That said, some of my peers did not make it out of the pre-foundational tier, possibly due to other priorities or being overwhelmed. I do not know why some did not move forward to the second tier of the program but I would argue that it has nothing to do with "smarts." The admission rate is less than 5% so all that were admitted have the skills to succeed.The second tier of the program is where the magic happens. You learn so much in the first couple of weeks (data cleaning, data wrangling, analysis and interpretation, visualizations, etc...) and it is extremely satisfying. You work on real-world problems and the skills you learn can be applied immediately. All of this learning is ultimately displayed in a team project that you will submit toward the end of the program. You will apply everything you've learned in a project of your team's choosing and you will present it to your class section. But, the course is not just all code and analytics. There's music! Lot's of good music. And there are speakers from industry to talk to you and will connect with you on social media. As I mentioned previously, everyone associated with Correlation-One (partners, speakers, mentors, lecturers, staff) from soup-to-nuts *wants* to see you succeed in this program. In fact, the partners are paying for your education --and-- will offer you employment if your skills and professional background fits their needs. So, what is my negative feedback? None. I have been fortunate to attend some of the best universities in the world and I can honestly say that DS4A has been my best academic experience. I even shock myself when I say that but it's true. Prior to being admitted to DS4A, I researched other data science programs but for some of those programs cost was a barrier and for other programs the quality of the curriculum was questionable. Correlation-One is a fully, vertically integrated training fellowship and the team has thought of everything; they teach you the fundamentals, they take a deep dive into data science and analytics, they have their own job portal for graduates with jobs from the underwriters of the program, you keep the learning materials forever, you have access to the recorded lectures forever, you build a strong cohort of like-minded data scientist in every vertical imaginable, you obtain a verified certificate upon graduation, and they keep in touch with you even after you've completed the course. There are many more benefits but I am running out of space to write.Bottom line, I was blown away with what is offered to fellows of Correlation-One and it is my belief that no other data science program can match their offering. I am so happy that I found Correlation-One and applied. And I am even happier that they have accepted me into their community.

It is fairly intense, especially if you don't have a programming background. However, they offer a free pre-course for Python if your results indicate you should improve that. I loved that there was a big focus on business insights not forgetting the technical part (mainly with pandas and SQL). I think they have a really clear vision of what the market is asking for a Data Scientist and that's what you'll get in this course!. Besides, you'll be working and learning with people of diverse ages, ethnicities, nationalities, educational/professional backgrounds, etc. Plus a really inclusive and friendly environment with the best music within sessions B)

High quality instructors, great TA and community support. There was no getting out of this course without learning a lot! 

I feel extremely lucky to part of the family of this world class organizion,  as a Data Science student. Throughout my stay with DS4A, I have acquired highly demanded skills and knowlege in the in ever growing Data Science field. The abundance of resources I gained from their world class instructors, mentors, TA's  and classmates was beyong what I have ever emagined. It's just a great blessing to be around with people with endless generosity and willingness to help.  I hope eveyone that's keen to learn gets the valuable opportunity to be part of these wondeful project.

I don't know where to start. Even though I am a Master's student in Analytics it was extremely difficult for me to secure an internship let alone a full-time entry role. Honestly, I have applied for more than 1000 entry-level and internship opportunities and was not even selected for an interview before DS4A. My story got changed after I joined the DS4A program which helped me learn the most important skills in the data science market, to do multiple portfolio projects that I showed cased during my interviews, to curate my resume in a way employers are motivated to invite me for interviews, to have confidence on myself and most importantly to network with amazing people who looks like me.  Folks, this is not just a Bootcamp, it's a community where everyone is valued, respected, heard, and loved! Thank you DS4A for helping me secure a fully remote paid internship even before I completed the program which is going to be a full-time position after 3 months of the internship period. I am still getting flooded with interview requests because of the portfolio projects I have done with the skills I gathered from the program! Good luck to everyone in the program!! 

The DS4A program is ideal for people interested in learning data analysis and data science with social justice in mind. Traditionally, there is bias in data due to the lack of representation in roles handling data. As a woman of color, the first to graduate college from a low-income family of immigrants, and a former K-12 math educator, this program enables people like me, as well as my peers who identify as young women and people of color to enter STEM fields by improving society within data science. Curriculum querying big data with SQL, robust linear modeling, building visual dashboards with Google Data Studio, data extraction and transformation, web scraping, and data-driven decision making using Python.

DS4A powered by Correlation One provides an unmatched experience for working professionals to learn a great foundation in Data Science. The structure and content in the course are unique and the lectures are some of the best I have attended compared to other programs. I recommend this program to anyone interested in Data Science. I really enjoyed working with a team on a capstone project and also working independently on different relevant business cases with real-world applications. 

My experience with the Data Science For All (DS4A) program was absolutely amazing. The data science content was so in-depth that I really felt like I was advancing my skills in the data science/coding realm. In addition to the data science curriculum itself, the guest speakers included as part of the program were fantastic as well. They were inspiring, motivational, and gave us the courage to go after our dreams and advocate for ourselves. I would absolutely recommend this program to anyone interested in coding or data science.

DS4A is a program that changes lives through education, mentorship, and an extraordinary community of professionals. The experience and personal support given to students by the Instructors was superb, and I for one am extremely grateful for the experience. 

Overall Experience:Very positive. I spent several weeks surrounded by incredibly smart, talented, kind & generous peers. Specific to my experience of being a mid-career professional, I really enjoyed the opportunity to be around a lot of young professionals for mutual mentorship. I found that I had a lot to offer by way to my life experience, and I gained a lot from the young professionals in return! It's a demanding program -- and depending on your skill level at the time of acceptance-- you may need to put in a significant amount of effort and work to see success. Try to be honest with yourself about whether or not you have the free time in your life at the moment to devote to reskilling. Depending on the week, I was devoting 30+hours to DS4A work (either study, extended cases, or working on my group project) outside of the Saturdays. Not every week was so intense, but some were.  Instructors:Knowledgeable, patient, kind, encouraging, compassionate --all the things needed to help a student succeed.  Curriculum:While new to data science, I have a background in instructional design (both K-12 and adult learning). The design of this program is strong with particular attention to the extended cases which I would call brilliantly done. The material spirals and builds. I can absolutely see the scaffolding. It's really nice that lectures are recorded and I have gone back and reviewed them. If you do not have a background in data science or programming (this was me), the curriculum will likely be very demanding and at times frustrating. You don't have to get through it alone - there's lots of people to help you - but there is some degree of suffering required and this is a very natural and normal part of the learning process. Particularly if you are midcareer and have been successful in the past, this might be the first time in a very long time when you experience failure over and over again - that's a normal and expected part of this.  I would recommend going into this understanding it will be difficult, you may be confused a lot, you may question yourself/your skills/your abilities and need to curb the temptation to compare yourself and your journey to others. You will have to dig deep, commit to the process, and ask for help.  You'll get through it. Job Assistance:I think this depends on what you expect job assistance to look like. If you are looking for significant help here - like resume review sessions, interview coaching, or something that looks and feels like an actual, formally structured program /curriculum around job seeking and job placement, etc. --this was not provided to the first cohort. Maybe they'll have that in the future I'm not sure. You should inquire about what's available to you at the time of your admittance. What was included in my experience was a jobs board on airtable and  employer information sessions where reps from various employers would give presentations during weekday evenings. Depending on your time zone, it might be in the middle of the day or later evening for you. That's the thing about this program that's cool and also challenging is its a national program PST to EST so there isn't going to be a perfect time things take place.It's very personal whether or not you'll find that match with an employer partner.  There are so many factors, so I won't be able to comment about the likelihood of your being able to do that. I can, however, try to explain what some of those factors might be. Some factors that can influence finding a match between the employer partners, a role, and you: where you live, if you are flexible to relocate,  if you want a remote vs office job, your educational background, industry interests, personal values. I was unable to relocate for a position and was a bit picker in what I was looking for (people analytics) because I wanted to build on the career I established in people operations/HR. I also don't have an advanced degree, so I spent effort myself to find and apply to roles of interest at employers that have cultures and organizational histories most closely aligned to my values. Ultimately, I did not find a role at an employer partner for this very first position after the program. But, my experience may not be yours. You might be interested in the employer partners and find a match with them.  That said, I think you would benefit from taking your job search into your own hands and especially if you are mid-career leveraging your existing network and expanding your network through the people you can meet in this program. While more indirect, one of the best things coming out of this program related to job assistance was my group project & the group project deliverables. It's perhaps unexpected to list that or talk about that as a job assistance offering rather than as part of the curriculum but the project deliverables were CLUTCH for my job search specifically. 

I was a part of the Fall cohort of Correlation One's DS4A/Empowerment.  The environment was uplifting and supportive and inclusive in a way that I've never experienced before. Natesh is an excellent instructor, no wonder he trajes at Harvard! All the TAs were helpful, smart, professional. Overall, the most important thing is that I learned content that I never tight I would be able to learn, and I feel like I have a solid foundation to keep doing practice projects.  I wouldn't feel comfortable getting a data analyst job right away,  but certainly some of the cohort did! 

DS4A was sincerely an amazing experience. Professor Pillai, the Teacher Assistants , Students and Guest Speakers all formed a community of support that elevated the learning experience . The curriculum mirrors the exact information you would learn if you would take a data certificate course which can be pretty expensive, so it covers some impressive ground. They also seem to be adding some more tracks of interest so that may bolster what participants get to learn. You have the option to get help if you need more time to understand a concept but you can also jump into advanced boot camps if you have more experience or are ahead of the class. Overall if you have the opportunity to apply I would recommend giving this course your all, its well worth it.