In 2008, I joined the STM聽as a聽software聽engineer聽in its聽metro聽control center, a position which I held for more than 10 years.聽However, in 2021,聽after completing my Professional Development Certificate in Data Science聽and聽Machine Learning at McGill, I can proudly say that I聽have聽made the transition from聽software聽engineer to鈥β燿ata聽engineer!聽 That聽transition was made possible聽thanks to the decision聽I聽made聽3聽years ago to embark聽on聽this聽great聽journey at McGill.聽
Before making that decision,聽my position聽as聽a software聽engineer consisted聽of聽developing聽and聽maintaining the various聽systems聽used by the聽traffic聽controllers聽to help manage the daily operations聽of the Montreal metro.聽Working in聽the聽鈥渂rain鈥澛爋f all the metro鈥檚 operations, I was aware that聽everything from the movement of the trains聽to聽the activity of the elevators, escalators, energy, fans, and聽a long list of other types聽of equipment聽was being recorded.鈥疘聽knew that聽all聽this data was a goldmine of insights for the聽organization,聽and that聽if I wanted to exploit that data,聽I聽would need to update my knowledge and skills.聽
At the same time, I was聽also聽reading articles about the emergence of big data, how being a data scientist was聽quickly聽becoming the sexiest job of the 21st century,聽and聽how artificial intelligence would be at the forefront of what they call, 鈥渢he聽Fourth Industrial Revolution鈥�.
I had to do something.聽
I wanted to be part of this聽data聽revolution!聽
I wanted to be ahead of the curve!聽
At that moment,聽I started聽searching聽the聽internet for videos聽or online聽trainings,聽but聽felt that聽the options I found were not going to be comprehensive聽nor聽recognized聽in the industry,聽and that鈥檚 not what I wanted. On the contrary, what I wanted was聽a program that聽would聽give聽me the A 鈥� Z of data science聽鈥斅爐he聽practical knowledge, skills,聽and tools,聽real and involved聽interactions聽with other professionals and instructors,聽and聽the stamp from a聽world-renowned聽institution.聽
This聽is聽where McGill聽came in.聽The Professional Development Certificate in Data Science and Machine Learning was exactly what I was looking for.聽
Now I can proudly call myself a Data Engineer thanks to the investment that I made to聽enroll聽at McGill in Data Science and聽Machine Learning.聽
Do you want to be a聽data聽scientist?鈥疉 data聽engineer?鈥疉 machine learning engineer?聽If so, here鈥檚 what the Data Science and聽Machine Learning program will give you:聽
The聽program focuses on providing the most relevant knowledge, most practical skills and tools, and the critical strategies for understanding when and how to implement those skills and tools.聽It offers聽a blend of real-world industry knowledge alongside the right amount of practice and feedback,聽leading to聽participants聽who are聽skilled聽in applying that knowledge聽so they can leave class and apply what聽they have聽learned to their work聽immediately.聽
The program聽also聽helps you develop聽meaningful professional聽connections.聽This is important because,聽in聽the wonderful world of data,聽you will never work alone. On聽the contrary,聽you聽will聽constantly communicate with your clients, business partners,聽and聽your fellow data engineers, data scientists聽and聽analysts聽to better understand the problems聽at stake and find聽solutions.聽
My聽journey聽at McGill聽culminated with the completion of the first聽A.I. project at the STM聽where I was the data engineer.聽Thanks to this project,聽users聽of the Montreal metro聽can now find out the聽occupancy rate聽of the聽AZUR聽trains聽on the orange聽line聽鈥斅爐he busiest of the metro lines.聽This info is being displayed on聽the聽M茅trovision聽screens聽on the聽platforms聽and聽can also be consulted聽on the mobile version of聽stm.info.聽It is聽a great development that is the fruit of some remarkable聽teamwork!聽
Data scientist聽and聽data engineers are in high demand right now聽and聽these career paths聽offer interesting positions in all different kinds聽of industries.聽
So,聽what are you聽waiting聽for? Jump in!聽Become聽a professional聽Made By聽McGill!聽