According to FuturereadySingapore.com, Economists fear that up to 35% of jobs will be lost to machines in the next 20 years due to robots and automation.
For example, JPMorgan Chase is closing 300 bank branches by the end of next year, due to the fact that 58% of bank deposits were made online, without the need for a bank teller.
Since the future workplace will be highly automated, it is going to require individuals who are well-versed in technology!
So what is data science?
In short, it is the field of analysis and prediction on large datasets through software. In other words, we use it for smart recommendations, speech, visual recognition, just to name a few.
We're pretty sure you're familiar with Snapchat, which was started by Evan Spiegel when he was 21. The app, uses facial recognition algorithms to produce its highly popular filters. The app has over 150 million users per day and Spiegel now enjoys a net worth of 2.1 billion U.S. dollars.
The famous Snapchat filter (Source: Wikimedia)
Similarly, Tesla and Facebook’s self-driving cars use similar algorithms that allow vehicles to navigate traffic with a smart computer. These computers make thousands of considerations in a very short amount of time - in a sense, mimicking the human brain.
Is data science relevant in Singapore?
Yes, data science is becoming highly relevant in Singapore. The Singapore government has recognised this shift in the kind of manpower and skill sets that we need to stay relevant.
In line with Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative, Python, a basic coding language will become an examinable subject at the ‘O’ Level national exams, which was previously only taught at the ‘A’ Level.
Meaning to say, that the presence of data science has definitely grown enough for it to be set as an 'O' Level subject!
What does Code Gakko do?
Code Gakko, is an ed-tech (educational technology) company founded by young entrepreneurs from Yale-NUS College and Yale University. They aim to empower the technological leaders of tomorrow by giving students the relevant skillset.
Image Source: Facebook, Code Gakko
Code Gakko works with both primary and secondary schools, giving students the fundamental knowledge that will allow them to build relevant coding skills in the future.
In addition, it is also launching data science bootcamps for teens and young adults in Singapore. This is being done to meet the urgent demand for these skill sets in the industry.
Find out how you can prepare your child to face the ever changing job market on the next page!
How is Singapore adapting?
The tuition industry in Singapore has expanded in response, providing after-hours learning programs for children as young as 6, in coding and programming as well.
“The first step is exposure...getting the student to realise the endless applications of data science is key” says Sean Saito, Founder, and CEO at Code Gakko.
Their entry level programme, ASPIRE Alpha, would be a good match for you if you're looking to spark your child's interest in data sciences.
Once teens and young adults have a working knowledge of coding or programming, the possibilities and opportunities become endless. The fundamentals of programming even allow for an expansion towards data science.
This allows them to produce the valuable insight from data that is highly sought after by a growing number of companies.
So how can my child build their skills?
There are online learning services and MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) are ways that students can pick up skills in their free time.
However, they are often costly, lack expert in-person guidance and timely feedback. Further, they fail to provide the interactive, hands-on application experience crucial to building strong data science skills.
Through strategic partnerships with IT and technology based companies, Code Gakko’s data science bootcamps take their participants from a basic or zero knowledge of programming.
Therefore, if you're a parent seeking to equip your child with the relevant skills for a future in IT and data science you need to opt for the right programmes. These are programmes that focus on a strong foundation in the fundamental concepts behind programming.
Additionally, you should provide opportunities for coaching, feedback, and collaboration!
What is the ASPIRE series?
The ASPIRE series prepares students for real world application and creative solving skills. Your child will face the likes of a hackathon at the end of the bootcamp!
Students can advance to ASPIRE Immersion, a more advanced course that matches them with a guaranteed internship with one of Code Gakko’s industry partners.
Their partners include; Airbnb, an online marketplace for short-term lodging rentals, and Sence, a company that provides location analytics for businesses.
Therefore, by starting exposure early, you can give your teen an advantage in the rapidly expanding technology-based industry. In doing this, you are creating opportunities to gain and build on fundamental programming skills.
Critical information and promos:
Code Gakko is holding two data science bootcamps, ASPIRE Alpha on December 19, and ASPIRE Immersion. These bootcamps match students who complete the course with guaranteed internships with their partner companies in May 2017.
Head on over to www.codegakko.com/aspire for more details and to sign up!
A free parent information talk will be held on December 9 at NUS Enterprise, at THE HANGAR at 7.30pm.
Don't wait, limited seats are available - click here to sign up now and remember to use the code below!
The Asian Parent readers enjoy 10% off ASPIRE Alpha! Simply enter the code TAPDATA at checkout.
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