It is important to choose the right data analytics program for you. Google’s Data Analytics Certificate and CareerFoundry’s Data Analytics Program offer excellent options for those looking to start or advance their data analytics career. Many factors will determine which program is best for you.
Curriculum design
The eight core topics of the Google data analytics certification curriculum cover data-related topics. These are:
Coursera’s data analysts have created the course. It aims to teach beginners all about data analytics. The Course Page provides more information about the curriculum. Although the course content is free, you must subscribe to Coursera to take the required assessments and receive your certification.
CareerFoundry Data Analytics program
CareerFoundry’s Data Analytics Program was developed by subject matter specialists, much like Google. CareerFoundry is not like Google; it focuses solely on helping people find new jobs by providing high-quality educational content. They are skilled, experienced practitioners with a wide range of data analytics knowledge from various companies and sectors. They work closely with instructional designers to make course content accessible for beginners.
Intro to Data Analytics
The Intro to Data Analytics Program guides learners through ten essential aspects of data analysis. These include Excel skills and data visualization. They also cover other practical tasks such as data cleaning and basic analysis. The Intro to Data Analytics course can be a standalone option for those who need a more detailed but high-level introduction.
Data Analytics Immersion
Data Analytics Immersion Program is the in-depth section of this course, which builds on the introductory module. This breaks down the content into six modules or ‘Achievements.
You can find a detailed breakdown of each Achievement on the Course Details webpage. You can continue your studies by taking the Intro course. For more information, see section 7.
This video is Dr. Humera Noor Minhas guiding us through the Intro to Data Analytics short course. You can sign up.
Assessment: quizzes vs. dual mentorship
The Google Data Analytics Certification is only possible after you have completed all eight modules. You will also need to complete the automatically marked assignments.
Google certification assessment is done through quizzes, with some practical exercises added for good measure. Weekly quizzes and an additional assignment at the end of each module are available. These questions aren’t too difficult, as they all come from the course content. Many of them require you to fill in the blanks. It shouldn’t take too much effort to pass if learners have read the course content. This might appeal to some.
CareerFoundry Data Analysis Program assessment style
CareerFoundry Data Analytics Program uses a different assessment model, the “Dual Mentorship” model. This model pairs each student with two data analytics experts.
A mentor in data analytics: The mentor helps learners navigate their data analytics journey by reviewing and assessing video presentations of their students. They are also available to help learners with their portfolios and share their industry knowledge.
A tutor in data analytics: This tutor assists learners in understanding the technical aspects and analyzing data as they study. They will teach students how to use certain tools and concepts and provide feedback about their work.
CareerFoundry assesses learner outcomes using a human-centric approach rather than a generic assessment method. Provides more information about Dual Mentorship.