Cover picture by Federico Beccari
If you’re interested in leveling up your data science and artificial intelligence skills, but don’t know where to start, the PyData Global Impact Scholarship Program may be just for you!
During 4 days, along with PyData Global, a virtual event for all things at the intersection of data/AI, open source and Python, people from many different backgrounds and identities gather to attend workshops, talks and mentoring sessions.
The program is led by NumFocus, a non-profit that promotes open practices in open-source, data and scientific computing.
In this article, I will explain what are the top reasons to join in and give some more details and recommendations :)
Top reason #1: Get a deep understanding of the current data/AI market
With so many LinkedIn creators talking about a broad range of topics that all seem very important, it is very easy to lose sight of what matters and what not when trying to understand where the data/AI market is heading to.
In the program, you can listen to and talk with people who have been in the industry for many years, even decades in some cases, and who are able to articulate and consolidate a clear view of the market.
For example, they can help you answer questions such as:
What are the most in-demand jobs right now and what kind of technical and soft skills are expected?
How will ChatGPT and LLMs change our lives and jobs?
And the best part, you can directly ask your own questions or even have a 1:1 mentoring session with them!
Top reason #2: Make new connections
One very nice thing in the scholarship is the opportunity to connect with interesting and skilled people hard to meet otherwise.
In the same virtual room, participants such as open-source maintainers from Indonesia and Canada, researchers from Italy and Germany, seasoned data scientists and data analysts from the UK, fresh graduates from India and Mexico and freelancers from Dubai and Brazil all gather and share knowledge.
Top reason #3: Belong to a community
There are different spaces (networking sessions, Birds of a Feather) during the 4 days of the event and throughout the year where the community (mentors, scholars, organization members) meets and where you can openly share ideas, challenges, talk and conference opportunities and all kinds of advice.
In the 2023 cohort, we talked about PyCon US, productivity tips, ethics and AI, how to start with Bayesian Networks and more!
Working in tech can be a lonesome journey especially for people from underrepresented groups and the scholarship is a great place to start changing that.
Kamila and other members in the team are very kind and available to address any concern or share any guidance you may need during the event.
Oh, that’s great but…who can actually participate?
The answer is very simple: basically anyone considering reskilling or up-skilling to data/artificial intelligence or pretending to contribute to open-source. If you are an experienced professional in the field, you can also participate as a mentor!
How to participate?
To participate, you have to apply by filling in a short form so that the Program Committee knows more about you and your interest in data science and open source. Be sure to send it before the deadline.
The program makes its best to welcome everyone and your application will probably be accepted. There is no cost to participate.
How to make the best of it?
A classic one but still very valuable, be sure your camera, speakers and microphone work before the event starts, you will need them a lot.
Take time to check the schedule beforehand and add to your agenda the sessions you want to attend. As far as I know, there is no dedicated app for the schedule but you should receive invites by email.
Make sure to check mentors’ profiles and book a session. Everyone is guaranteed at least a 30 minute call with a mentor, and only those who have at least 3 years experience in the industry qualify to be a mentor.
This is a rare opportunity to speak one-on-one with someone whose career path aligns closely with what you hope to do.
Participate in Birds of a Feather and networking sessions. This is where making new connections and belonging to a community mostly happens :) As a scholar, you can have a more active participation, suggest discussion topics and talk freely about anything that does not violate the code of conduct.
You reached the end of this article :)
I hope you enjoyed learning about the PyData Impact Scholarship Program. You are welcome to share your thoughts in the comments. You can also learn more about me and/or get in touch in the About me section just below.
About me
I’ve been working in tech for 7 years, and have worn many hats as a startup co-founder, and in roles such as technical marketing and developing partnerships to drive audience and revenue.
I’ve been a freelance software engineer (back-end) and technical writer since 2021, and am active in open-source communities as a mentor and 2023 PyData Impact Scholar.
I’ve created a Python package called natholi (national holidays for 200+ countries in one line of code) and contributed to the open-source Amplify app to enable climate-change action. I am also a LGBT and neurodivergent person 🌈
If you have questions about the PyData Impact program, or want to chat about tech careers, connect with me on LinkedIn or book a call with me here.
Top comments (1)
Thanks for sharing your experience of the scholarship. It really was a helpful experience for me and I hope I can share and promote it to other people that want to start in the data industry.