Workshop - Building a Portfolio as a Junior Data Scientist

Published: 09.04.2023

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to speak as a guest speaker at Pacbuburit, one of Pacmann’s programs held during the Ramadan season. I was nervous since it was my first time as a speaker, but I was also glad that it ended well. I talked about how to build a portfolio for junior data scientists from my perspective and experience. I discussed the types of projects that needed to be built, why confidence is essential when building them, and why visibility is important for those who want to become a data analyst, data scientist, or data engineer.

During the workshop, I presented an end-to-end project on building a dashboard for monitoring active fires in Indonesia. This project was one of the projects that helped me land my current job, and I wanted to share it with my audience as an example of the variety of projects that are important to showcase one’s capabilities.

During the Q&A session, I had fun answering technical and advice-related questions from the audience. It reminded me of when I was still confused about my path and whether learning data science was the right choice for me. However, being surrounded by the right people and receiving their help enabled me to realize that this was the path I wanted to pursue. I also wanted to help others believe in themselves and their ability to become what they want to be, as long as they try.

You can watch the workshop by going to this link.

Speaking at this workshop made me realize that building a portfolio takes time and dedication. We cannot be in a hurry, but we also cannot be discouraged by what we do. We need to stay focused, believe in ourselves, and keep striving to become the best versions of ourselves. At the end of the day, I am happy that I chose this path because it allowed me to meet a lot of people, learn from them, and grow into a better version of myself.