Top 5 Takeaways to Find Yourself in the Future of Data Science

I just finished listening to the latest episode of our Find Yourself in the Future series, and I have to tell you—if you’ve ever thought that a career in data science was out of your reach or “too technical,” you’ll definitely want to watch this session.

Our host, Yasmeen Seddeek, Junior Technical Advocate for Learn with Cisco, sat down with two of the brilliant minds powering data science at Cisco Networking Academy: Amy Guimond and Tashia Avery. Hearing the “how” and the “why” behind their journeys was inspiring! Here are my top takeaways from their conversation.

1. The data science career zigzag is real.

One of the most refreshing parts of the conversation was hearing that neither Amy nor Tashia started in a traditional computer science role. Amy began as a preschool teacher with a background in psychology, while Tashia spent years in academia as a research faculty member.

The message was clear: Your unique background is a strength. Whether you’re coming from social sciences, education, or an entirely different field, those transferable skills—like understanding human behavior or knowing how to teach—are a valuable addition to make a great data scientist.

2. No PhD required.

Despite both guests holding doctorates, Tashia was “loud and proud” about one thing: Data science is a no-PhD-required field. In today’s market, it’s about your skills, your curiosity, and your ability to solve problems. You don’t need a decade of university study; you need the right foundational training and a willingness to get your hands dirty with data.

3. Part detective. Part storyteller.

Amy and Tashia described data science as a big umbrella that covers everything from the messy work of data cleaning (which Amy jokes is 80% of the job!) to the shiny work of visualization.

They framed the role beautifully:

The Detective: Sifting through clues in the data to find patterns.

The Storyteller: Translating those patterns into a narrative that helps leaders make better decisions.

4. AI skills = Data science superpower.

We can’t talk about the future without talking about AI. Amy and Tashia view AI not as a threat, but as a multiplier. They shared how they use AI to automate the mundane, repetitive tasks—like reformatting hundreds of rows of data or writing boilerplate code—so they can focus on high-level strategy and critical thinking.

As Amy put it, “AI won’t replace your job, but someone using AI might.”

5. Advice for the next generation

If you’re looking to get hired, Amy and Tashia shared exactly what they look for in candidates:

• Curiosity: Are you asking “why” and “what if?”
• Communication: Can you explain a complex model in plain English?
• A Portfolio of “Doing”: Don’t just show a certificate. Show your GitHub repository (an online portfolio of your code and projects) or highlight a project where you’ve solved a real-world problem.

Ready to start your journey?

The session wrapped up with some fantastic course recommendations for anyone ready to take the first step. Whether you are ready to begin, change, or propel your career, Cisco Networking Academy has you covered:

• Introduction to Data Science: No prerequisites, just a great way to see if a data science path is right for you. In this 6-hour course, you’ll explore the basics of data science and discover how machine learning is shaping fields like business, healthcare, and education. Try out five practice labs, giving you a real feel for data science tasks—whether you’re ready to dive deeper next, or simply exploring your options, this is a great place to start.
• Data Analytics Essentials: For those ready to go beyond the basics, this course focuses on the “bread and butter” of the role—cleaning, analyzing, and visualizing data. These are the fundamental skills Amy and Tashia mentioned using every single day. You’ll query data with SQL and enhance your data presentations using powerful BI tools like Tableau, building an analytics portfolio complete with analysis of popular datasets.
• Data Science Essentials with Python: This project-based course takes you from writing your first Python code to analyzing and visualizing real-world data with industry tools like Pandas and Matplotlib. With 15 guided projects, interactive activities, and an AI assistant to help you learn faster, you’ll build portfolio-ready work to share with peers and employers.

There is so much more gold in this interview—including tips on finding a Board of Advisors for your career and how to handle “imposter syndrome” in big meetings.

I encourage you to watch the full recording. It’s a masterclass in how to navigate the modern tech landscape with curiosity and confidence.

Watch the full session | Data Science Decoded: Life as a Data Scientist

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