In today’s increasingly data-driven world, both individuals and companies alike are producing and storing increasingly large sets of data online. As the size of the data sets increase, being able to access specific information within those sets can become more challenging. Thankfully, professionals who work with data have the option to use SQL. An abbreviation for Structured Query Language, SQL is a computer programming language that communicates with, edits, and adds information to databases.
One profession that regularly uses SQL is a Data Analyst. These professionals help businesses organize and understand the data they produce so they can make more informed business decisions. Here, we’ll discuss more how SQL works and how it makes the process of data analysis much simpler.
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Basics of Data Analytics and SQL
To understand how SQL can be used to conduct data analysis, it’s important to learn a little bit about each concept so you can better grasp how they work together.
Data analytics is the process of combing through massive amounts of historical data to locate patterns and develop insights about things like customer spending habits so businesses can make smarter business decisions. This information is used to inform crucial decisions like how much to invest in a marketing strategy or where and when to open a new location. Data Analysts use their analytical skills to help businesses answer questions like “why did X happen” and “what would happen if X?” Without data analysis, businesses would be blindly guessing how a particular decision will affect their budget and their customers.
SQL is a computer programming language that allows users to query large amounts of data to quickly access the information they need. Most computer programming languages are procedural, in that the user has to tell the computer what to do or how it needs to be done.
SQL is unique in its nonprocedural capabilities because users can tell the language what they want to do and SQL will intuitively figure out how to complete the process. To use SQL, users simply complete a query and SQL will pull any data that matches the requirements of the query.
Why do Data Analysts Love SQL?
There are several important reasons why, out of hundreds of programming languages, SQL is something anyone who wants a data-driven career should learn. First, it is among the more simple languages to learn and use. While other languages can feel like learning an entirely new way of speaking, the way a user communicates with SQL is declarative. This means that you can simply type the word explaining what you want SQL to do (SELECT, UPDATE, INSERT, etc.) and the query will produce a result. The ease with which people can learn SQL also means a shorter training period for new analysts, which saves companies additional time and money.
The simplicity of the syntax leads to another reason why SQL is ideal for data analysis: fast access to necessary data. For instance, if you want to know how many of your customers or subscribers live in a certain zip code or how many purchases are made by a particular demographic, you can use SQL to access that information in just a few seconds. The way that SQL allows you to just view the information you need is critical to optimizing your workflow, especially when working with huge amounts of data at once.
SQL is capable of handling complex instructions while still producing understandable results. It offers simple dashboard displays for data visualization; no matter how you want your data illustrated, SQL probably has an effective way of doing so. The language can also be easily integrated with other languages that are commonly used when working with data like Hadoop and Python.
In summary, SQL has quickly become one of the industry standards when it comes to data analysis. These skills are only going to grow in demand as people and businesses produce more data over time. Learning SQL for your career is sure to boost your resume and impress hiring managers.
Learn SQL With Career Centers
If you’d like to learn more about SQL, there are several SQL Training Classes available through Career Centers. Courses can be taken at its Manhattan campus or live online depending on your location and learning preferences. Career Centers also allows students one free retake of their courses within one year to ensure that students understand the material and get the most out of their education.
If you prefer to break up your learning into a handful of smaller classes, Career Centers offers a Level I, Level II, and a Level III course in SQL. Each of these classes lasts for eight hours and can be taken on weekdays, evenings, or weekends to be flexible with your schedule. Level I is open to beginners while Levels II and III require completion of the previous course before registering. If you’d rather take all three of these courses in one session, you might want to check out Career Centers’ SQL Bootcamp instead. This three-day class covers the same material, just at a reduced cost.
If you’d like to learn more about data analytics, Career Centers has several data analytics courses available as well. Most notably, the school has a Data Analytics Certificate as part of its programming. The program is five weeks full-time or five months part-time and covers data analysis, data visualization, and statistical analysis for business intelligence. It culminates in a portfolio of various projects that students can display for future hiring managers as they start their careers.