Becoming an Analyst - Week 1

I'm excited to start my journey with Merit America this week! I've been working on my career change to data analytics since last winter when I became aware of the Merit America program through TikTok's #UndertheDesknews. After looking into it, I knew the data analytics track checked all the boxes for me. I did the application and interview and got accepted into the program, but had to wait for the July cohort. Merit's student load has grown exponentially since being given a $100 million sponsorship by Google, so they've had to be much more selective with their acceptance rate and divide classes up farther into the future. I've seen some fellow students that aren't able to begin until next year! I had my very first squad meeting this week and here are my impressions so far: 1. It's going to be intense. We are using Coursera's Google Data Analytics Professional certificate program, but at about twice the speed. Luckily, I love being a student and started doing some of this program early just to see if I liked it and could do it. Turns out, I do and I can! 2. Merit is absolutely committed to the professional development and job placement of its learners. Beyond the instruction on the Coursera program, I not only have a separate technical coach and tutoring available for the data skills I'm learning, but also a personal career coach and a job success coach for the application process. I can't tell you how reassuring that is to someone who has been out of the job market for years like me. 3. Their mission is to serve career changers, low income workers and anyone who hasn't had the opportunity for higher education so they can get a stable, in-demand, high-quality job. I love that this directly addresses my background in highly satisfying, but low paying or no-paying jobs. 4. The staff that I've met or have seen listed as a part of my team is diverse and women are fully represented. In fact, 9 out of 10 coaches or teachers listed in my track are women. I know that women in tech are generally underrepresented, but this gives me great encouragement and confidence that I can do this too! Stick with me as I take this journey and learn about this whole new world! #meritamerica #womenintech #careerchange #dataanalytics #breakintotech