Want to boost your job prospects in today’s digital world? Well, it turns out there’s a secret to becoming a more employable worker: data literacy or having the ability to read, write, and communicate data.
Contrary to popular belief, data skills are no longer for data scientists and analysts alone. With data becoming the “new oil” of the digital economy, everyone can benefit from understanding at least the basics of data and knowing how to leverage it to optimize their work.
So, where do you begin? Well, you can always start with YouTube tutorials, textbooks, or even online blogs. The problem is that learning passively isn’t really effective in the long run.
In response, tech bootcamp Lighthouse Labs is bringing back its popular learning alternative: the 21-Day Data Challenge. The 21-Day Data Challenge (#21DDC) combines fun with hands-on training. Put simply, you get to play a game solo or with your peers while building your data skills over 21 days. Additional perks: You get to do all of these for free and you even get a chance to win daily prizes!
Want to learn more? Read on as we walk you through the ins and outs of this data challenge—from who can join, how to join, and why you should join.
You can learn data skills while having fun and winning prizes daily with Lighthouse Labs’ 21-Day Data Challenge. It’s free for all!
Explore a career in tech sales with Elevate.What Is Lighthouse Labs’ 21-Day Data Challenge?
Lighthouse Labs’ 21-Day Data Challenge is an event designed to hone your fundamental data skills in Python, SQL, and Pandas through daily practice. This year’s Data Challenge is set to last from April 11, 2022, to May 1, 2022, as you assume the role of Dot, the game’s protagonist, and journey across the globe by solving 30-minute data challenges every day for 21 days.
“The challenges aim to develop core skills that each data scientist and data analyst should have. Also, they are meant to open doors to more advanced data topics. We’ll also give a teaser in the last couple of challenges to motivate participants to study further,” said Lighthouse Labs’ Data Scientist, Juraj Kapasny, who also developed this year’s 21-Day Data Challenge.
Lighthouse Labs has been training students into job-ready data professionals through its Data Science Bootcamp for the past two years. And 2022 also marks its second year of running data challenges. So, expect to face unique challenges in this year’s #21DDC event.
Note that you’ll get two attempts to complete each challenge, after which you’ll be presented with the solution. You will then be able to view the challenges but not answer them again. Challenges are categorized by level of difficulty: Easy, Intermediate, and Hard. Each completed challenge entitles you to an entry into the Daily Prize draw.
Each challenge level also comes with an assigned number of points: 5 points for Easy, 10 points for Intermediate, and 20 points for Hard. The more points you earn, the more entries you can add to the Grand Prize draw. Meanwhile, the four finalist prizes are awarded to participants with the most points.
After 21 days, you’ll have an understanding of the following:
- How Jupyter notebooks and Python work;
- How to create variables in Python with the correct data type;
- What simple descriptive statistics is and how to compute it in Python;
- How to apply Pandas library to extract vital information from the dataset; and
- How to use data visualizations techniques to tell the story from the data.
Who Can Join Lighthouse Labs’ 21-Day Data Challenge?
Lighthouse Labs’ 21-Day Data Challenge is open to all, so beginners and professionals alike are encouraged to join. That said, because challenges require some basic data science and analytics knowledge, beginners need to plan and practice to have a real chance of finishing the challenges and of winning the prizes.
You don’t need to look far for practice tools and resources. Lighthouse Labs ensures that you have the relevant materials to prepare. By registering for the Data Challenge itself, you will receive Lighthouse Labs content that includes resources to help you get ready. And if you’re someone who already has relevant experience, you can use these resources to brush up on your skills.
You can also explore Lighthouse Labs’ Free Python Course to learn the basics. In addition, you can get hints and tips from other participants and Lighthouse Labs’ team of mentors when you join the community forum. Participants will receive an announcement via email when the forum goes live.
How Can I Join Lighthouse Labs’ 21-Day Data Challenge?
Begin by filling out the 21-Day Data Challenge registration form on Lighthouse Labs’ website. Don’t worry, it’s free. So, you can invite your friends to join, too, and you can form a team of four. That’s four times the fun since you won’t have to complete the challenge on your own, and your team can pool together points to win the team reward.
Even if you don’t have a team, you won’t be alone in your journey as you will have access to the 21-Day Data Challenge forum where you can connect with other participants.
Lighthouse Labs’ 21-Day Data Challenge Prizes
Learning is great, but sometimes you need a little incentive to stay motivated, which is why there are many prizes up for grabs in Lighthouse Labs’ 21-Day Data Challenge. By the end of it, you won’t only be acquiring data skills, but you also get a chance to win fantastic prizes.
To score daily prizes, you must complete a challenge each day. In the process, you also earn points that will help you gain additional entries towards the grand prize. If you’re among the four participants to gain the most points, you get the chance to win any of the finalist prizes. Finally, each winning team member will also receive Best Buy gift cards.
Below are the details of the prizes:
- Grand Prize: $4,000 voucher to build your dream vacation
- 4 Finalist Prizes: Electric Go bike, AirPods Pro, iPad Pro, Nintendo switch
- Daily Prizes: $20-to-$50 gift cards (Amazon, Best Buy, EB Games, etc.)
- Team Prize: $400 gift card at Best Buy awarded to each member
Build Your Data Literacy in 21 Days
The future belongs to the data-driven. Lighthouse Labs’ close cooperation with partners allows them to understand exactly what skills are vital in the world of data. Armed with such knowledge, they design their Data Science Bootcamp to bring students industry-relevant skills. The same applies to their 21-Day Data Challenge, where participants can practice skills that the market needs.
Discover the world of data in 21 days and win exciting prizes! Registration is now open, so sign up and get a head start with the preparations. Join now for free!
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.