Data Driven – WeTrainICT Explores Data Driven Career Pathways and The Importance of Information Security

We unpack why everything has become data driven, why information security is crucial and what data related courses are on offer at WeTrainICT. (Powered by On The Ball College)

The new global gold rush is data, and in business terms, everything is now data driven. This means that there are many data driven occupations that are in high demand and numerous data driven job opportunities of the future on the market.

Thanks to data, businesses now have massive amounts of information to help them make better, data driven product, marketing, and financial decisions. This data driven approach allows for more lucrative strategies to do better business and requires more attention to information security.

Due to its valuable nature, data can be defined as the new “gold” and with the enormous amount of personal and financial data out there, exponentially exaggerated by the IoT (Internet of Things), information security is absolutely crucial. Data driven cyber-crime, information breaches and cyber-attacks are becoming more and more commonplace.

Imagine a world where everyone and everything knows everything there is to know about everyone. Well, that pretty much sums up the world we live in today, apart from people’s private thoughts, for now, there is nothing that isn’t being monitored and recorded and therein lies the power of data and the risk of it too. Information security professionals are therefore in demand and highly sought after.

*At WeTrainICT, powered by On The Ball College, we train you through our cybersecurity courses, how to both defend and protect your organisation’s data.

What is Data and why has everything become data driven?

Data is simple; it is the collected information regarding finances, purchasing behaviours and other personal details of people and organisations. Or according to Google’s online dictionary, data is, “facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis.”

Data can be summarised with the 3 V’s:

• Volume: Data is collected from many sources including business transactions, smart (IoT) devices, industrial equipment, videos, social media and more.
• Velocity:  Data streams filled with information are flooding into the cloud and servers at such a high speed that near real-time processes need to be in place to handle the information influx.
• Variety: Data presents in a variety of formats – from structured, numeric data in traditional databases to unstructured text documents, emails, videos, audio clips and financial transactions.

*At WeTrainICT, powered by On The Ball College, we have a number of data training courses to help you reach your career goals.

Let’s summarize the importance of data driven business and information security.

With all this information at their fingertips, companies now have intricate, accurate insights into what people want.

And if that isn’t enough reason to understand the importance of data and information security here are a few more:

1. Data improves quality, which can improve people’s lives.
2. Good data allows you to make informed decisions.
3. Sufficient data allows your organization to predict possible future challenges.
4. Protect your data. If data regarding your organisation or personal information is interfered with in any way due to a security breach, it could mean litigation for your company.
5. Data security prevents hackers or unauthorized users from gaining access to personal data. Apply data security by means of administrative controls, physical security, logical controls, organizational standards, and other safeguard techniques.
6. Data is everywhere as every business large or small relies on it. Data is recorded on every device and it is imperative to protect it.
7. Data will help you get ahead of your competition by explaining their decision making methods.
8. Effective data collection and analysis will allow you to isolate a particular issue and determine which one needs to be prioritised.
9. By analysing data in your organisation you will be able to identify your company’s strengths and weaknesses.
10. Data can help you reach your goals by measuring personal outcomes.

What is Big Data?

The volume of information collected has become almost immeasurable and can no longer be processed using traditional methods due to the many avenues of data collection that are now available and always active. Data scientists and engineers have developed software and algorithms to process the large volumes of data and sort this data into bite-size chunks to be analysed and interpreted by business intelligence analysts, data analysts and administrators.

Data Careers To Consider In a Data Driven World

1) Data Engineer

Salary Range: R26,000-R30,000+ per month depending on experience

Engineers who work with big data turn large volumes of data into insights. They work with businesses by retrieving, interpreting, analysing and reporting data. They also have the responsibility of creating and maintaining the company’s software and hardware architecture.

2) Data Architect

Salary Range: R60 000 – R80 000 per month

Data architects design, build and maintain complex data frameworks. They develop strategies and plans for data models for each subject area of the enterprise data.

3) Data Warehouse Manager

Salary Range: R60 000 – R80 000 per month

Data Warehouse Managers store and analyse data in facilities by means of usage metrics. They are also responsible for monitoring job usage which identifies risks to data storage and transfers.

4) Database Administrator

Salary Range: R50 000 – R70 000 per month

Database administrators fix issues in the database. They assist in the design and physical implementation of database systems as well as maintenance. Database developers work closely with them to provide guidance and training to lower-level staff.

5) Business Intelligence Analyst

Salary Range: R40 000 – R50 000 per month

Business intelligence analysts manage company data and translate it into insights. They are responsible for scrutinising data independently to determine patterns.

They should have experience with analytical and reporting tools, several years of experience with database problems, stored procedure writing, online analytical processing (OLAP) and data cube technology.

To become a part of the technologically savvy workforce you need to be trained in ICT and upskill continuously.

WeTrainICT andOn The Ball College offer curriculums partnered with Oracle academy, Google, AWS educate, Microsoft, CompTIA and MICT SETA to ensure candidates are qualified both for local and international employment.

WeTrainICT, powered by On the Ball College, is an accredited IT and computer training academy.  The college was founded in 2006 in Cape Town by Kim Palmer.