Could This Be the Start of My Machine Learning Journey?

As a techie, I like to learn everything from software and data to security and machine learning to find out what path is right for me. I started as a software engineer, pushing myself to work in different teams and ramping up on new tech stacks multiple times which was exhausting but I managed with the right level of support. Then in my gap year I decided to focus on data engineering and got sidetracked into cybersecurity.

Somehow I landed a job in data engineering which was probably the right fit as I do like engineering and as data engineers we have to comply with data regulations to keep data secure.

Since I’ve pivoted into data, there’s no better time than now to dig deep into this area and add another string to my bow. I’ve heard of the terms machine learning and AI on the news at least five years ago so they’re nothing new. They’ve recently become a hot topic with generative AI thanks to modern computers and the cloud that can process big data to train ML models. So in the back of my mind I always knew I’d like to try the ML path. This is not to say that I’ll fall in love with ML, but if I don’t try, I won’t know. Though it’s not a prerequisite for a data engineer, it’s good to have some knowledge of how ML and data science consume the data products we, the data engineers, build. The most important thing for me is to keep my brain stimulated through hands-on learning.

So I had a discovery call with a few people at work to see if there were suitable projects. After some discussions and waiting, I’m pleased to say something’s brewing behind the scenes. I’m not quite sure when the start date is but I just want to share the exciting news so you can be a part of my ML journey. As you can see, the tech space, as with other spaces, can open up collaboration and learning opportunities so if you’re open to change and can learn quickly, or take baby steps, a technical role in tech might be an option.

I’d like to add that connecting with people doesn’t always have to be intentional. It can be through hackathons, conferences or chance encounters in-person or virtually. For me, I watched the recording of a hybrid conference and by chance, I saw an opportunity and investigated further. As the old adage goes, be in the right place at the right time. It was a combination of luck and dedication. Why dedication? Well, some might say work smart, not hard, which means relying on other people for information. Had I not dedicated time to watch the 12 hour recording from start to finish, I would have missed the opportunity. Thankfully it worked out.

I’m keen to know your journey. How did you transition into the different domains within tech. What were the challenges and rewards? Was it intentional or did you fall into it? Did it go as planned or did you change your mind afterwards?

You’ve been listening to Data with Beau. Until next time, take care.