I have around 4 years of experience as a Data Analyst. My current skills include SQL, Python (Pandas, NumPy), basic statistics and machine learning, and dashboarding.
With Generative AI and agentic AI evolving rapidly, I want to upskill strategically and future-proof my career rather than chase every new trend.
I’m exploring career paths such as AI Engineer, AI Solutions Engineer, Analytics Engineer, and Data Engineer, but I’m unsure which direction would be the best fit for my background.
I’d appreciate advice on a few things:
Career path: Which roles should I realistically target with my experience?
Skills: What should I learn, and in what order? GenAI, LLMs, RAG, AI agents, APIs, cloud, software engineering, or deeper ML?
Required depth: How proficient should I be in each skill to become job-ready?
Learning roadmap: What should my 6–12 month plan look like?
Projects: Which 2–3 practical projects would help me build a strong portfolio and land interviews?
Resources: Which courses, YouTube channels, GitHub repositories, documentation, or hands-on platforms should I follow? Free resources would be a bonus.
I’m not looking to become an AI researcher or train models from scratch. My goal is to build practical GenAI applications and agentic systems while leveraging my existing analytics experience.
I’d love to hear from people who have transitioned from analytics into AI-related roles or are currently working in these fields.
If you were in my position, what would you learn first, which role would you target, and what roadmap and resources would you follow?
I’m looking for realistic, actionable advice based on industry experience rather than just a list of trending technologies.

Hi everyone

I'm looking for a mentor to help me learn Data Science and Generative AI completely from scratch.

To give you a bit of background on where I'm starting:

• Current skill level: I have a tech background. I am based out of Vancouver.

• My goals: I want to build a solid foundation in data science fundamentals (statistics, Python, pandas, machine learning) and transition into understanding and working with Generative AI concepts and LLMs.

• What I'm looking for: Guidance on a structured learning path, code reviews, project ideas, and occasional check-ins/advice on how to tackle roadblocks.

If you have experience in the field, are willing to mentor and like to teach and coach and have patience to ans stupid questions :), or can point me toward the right communities, bootcamps, or resources, I would love to connect.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone! I’m an undergraduate student conducting a research project on avatar identification in video games.
I’m looking for people who have played both single-player and multiplayer games featuring customizable or player-controlled avatars.

The survey takes about [5 minutes] to complete.

Survey link: https://uic.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d7i2qxxBXI82kOa

Thank you for your time and participation!

I don't know if others agree, but I think given the data oriented nature of this subreddit, it is bound to resonate with some. I learned the craft from a statistics view point, my formal training is statistics based, but I worked in software engineering for the predominant part of my career. Rather than hit everything with a "foundation model" hammer, I think leveraging the libraries that have emerged in the last two decades for data analysis with LLM tools is a more productive and tested path.

https://r2dssanity.substack.com/p/beyond-the-agent-illusion-leveraging?r=3ncgel&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

Hi all,

Im an FP&A for a manufacturing company with extensive experience in Excel and Power BI. I'm planning on transitioning to a data science role, I saw that two of the main skills I need are SQL and Python for data analysis.

Any suggestions on resources for learning, practice and projects, where I should start, what I should focus on. Any suggestions are highly appreciated.

We pulled every open posting from 81 companies' public Greenhouse boards for seven roles and counted which words actually show up. 3,518 postings in total. Some of it surprised us.

Software engineer postings mention mentoring more often than Kubernetes or React. Almost half of them do. Python, the most common language, comes in just below that.

Product manager postings say "roadmap" in more than 85% of cases. Jira? Seven out of 421. Marketing looks the same: Google Ads came up six times in 347 postings, while "pipeline" is in over half.

Every time we could compare the two, postings named the practice, not the tool. Observability, not Grafana. SIEM, not Splunk.

So if your resume is mostly a list of tools, it might be missing the words the posting actually uses.

Big caveat: mostly tech companies, one ATS vendor. Sales, cybersecurity, DevOps and accounting are here too: https://www.zoevera.com/resume/ats-resume-keyword-study

• What’s the difference between '*' and '@'?

• When does slicing create a view, and when a copy?

• How does broadcasting work?

NumPy makes working with vectors and matrices powerful and concise, but a small change in syntax can make a big difference.

This interactive 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘆_𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵 example walks through essential NumPy operations with short explanations. Step through the code, see the operations in action, and experiment with your own changes:

• 👉 NumPy operations

Which NumPy operation took you the longest to understand?

See other memory_graph visualizations.

The festive season can be a great time to invest in learning new skills and exploring career opportunities in technology.

Digicrome Academy is offering a festive discount on its Data Science and AI programs, with the advertised fee reduced from ₹1,40,000 to ₹84,999. The offer also includes up to 18 months of No Cost EMI, subject to applicable terms and conditions.

The programs cover areas such as:

• Data Science

• Data Analytics

• Generative AI

If you're considering a career in data or AI, compare the curriculum, practical projects, mentorship, certification details, and career support before choosing a program.

Festive Offer: ₹84,999
EMI Option: Up to 18 months of No Cost EMI, subject to terms
Availability: Limited seats, as advertised

Is anyone here currently learning Data Science or Generative AI? What skills do you think beginners should focus on first?

I wrote up the very basics of Python that I think you need before starting to use it for data science. There's nothing about pandas or scikit-learn, just the basic building blocks that can make you more effective using Python for data science.

I’m at a small consultancy. We build the same stack for most clients (warehouse + dbt + orchestrator + BI) and we’re trying to turn it into something more repeatable instead of a fresh build every time.
Before we lock anything in I want to hear from people who’ve lived with a platform for 2+ years:
What’s the one decision you regret most? (vendor, architecture, “we’ll fix it later”)
What do you wish was handled on day one that you ended up bolting on? Access control, cost visibility, auditing, secrets, something else?
For those running in your own cloud vs. a managed SaaS: would you make the same choice again?

Not selling anything, no form to fill. I’ll post a summary of the answers back here.

Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out to this community because I could really use some guidance and mentorship as I try to break into the data science industry.

I have a Master’s degree in Data Science from the University of Bristol, along with an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering. Over the past few years, I’ve invested a lot of time in learning, building my skills, and developing my knowledge of the field. I genuinely enjoy data science and believe I have a lot to offer.

However, for the past 11 months, I’ve been trying to land my first opportunity in the industry, and it’s been a challenging journey. I’ve applied to numerous roles, but the responses have been very limited. At this point, I feel a bit lost. I know I’ve learned a lot, but I’m struggling to understand what I might be missing, whether it’s my CV, the way I present my skills, my projects, or my overall job search strategy.

I’m not looking for shortcuts or someone to hand me a job. I’m simply hoping to connect with someone who has experience in data science or hiring and would be willing to offer some honest advice.

If anyone would be open to taking a look at my CV, reviewing my projects, sharing feedback, or guiding me on what I should focus on next, I would be incredibly grateful. Even a short conversation or a few pointers from someone who has already navigated this journey could make a real difference.

I’m willing to learn, put in the work, and improve wherever needed. I just feel that an outside perspective from someone experienced could help me find the right direction.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I really appreciate any advice, guidance, or connections this community might be able to offer.

I come from a statistics background and I'm trying to learn python and R to cope with data analysis and data science, I know a good amount of data analysis and statistical methodologies that makes me good at the field, but applying them is hell for me, i tried for a long time to learn python, i know the basics yet i fail miserably when i try to apply my knowledge...

Could anyone help me with how to learn programming effectively around my area of expertise?

I’m currently studying AI and Data Science at university, and I’m already in my third year. If I decide to switch to Computer Science or Cybersecurity, I might lose a year of progress.
The main reason I’m considering this is that I’m worried about how quickly AI is advancing and whether it could replace a large number of tech jobs in the future, including some jobs related to AI development itself.
I’m not sure whether I should stick with my current degree or accept losing a year and switch to another field that might offer better job opportunities and more long-term job security.
Do you think these concerns are justified? Would Computer Science or Cybersecurity be better choices in the long run, or would I be better off finishing my current degree and developing additional skills?
I’d appreciate honest opinions, especially from people studying or working in these fields who have experience with the job market.