Sometimes, in order to grow in your career, you need to think beyond your day-to-day job. At Talk360, we are proud to say that we put learning and development first and encourage all Talketeers to invest time to learn and expand their career paths. One Talketeer is Masego Tsholo, our Data Analyst who has a deep passion for data-driven insights. Last week, it was her chance to use her learning and development budget to attend her first data conference. Read more to learn about her experience attending the Big Data and Analytics Update Conference.
- What was the data conference that you chose? How did you find out about it?
I am a curious individual who always seeks knowledge from different platforms. At the time I wanted training around Data Science and latest trends and technologies used by leading companies in the world. I searched on LinkedIn, and I came across The Professional Development Hub which was hosting a Big Data and Analytics Update Conference targeted at data and IT leaders, heads of BI and analytics, data warehousing and integration specialists, and other related roles.
- What was the structure of the conference like?
The conference was a seminar where industry leaders presented different topics around big data and analytics. Leaders across various industries shared learnings from their experiences, trends and technologies shaping the future of data in organisations, and most importantly, the impact thereof. Delegates also got a chance to engage the speakers and challenge their thoughts and methodologies, making the seminar practical, interactive and a fantastic opportunity to network with different individuals that were attending.
- Why did you choose this conference as part of your learning and development?
As I recently joined Talk360, I noted some gaps in my experience and wanted to learn more about how to drive a data-and-insights-first culture, how latest technologies can enhance my role and ultimately how to get from data to actionable insights. Technology is ever-evolving and it is important that one stays relevant and well-informed in their role, to ensure their organisation is innovative with the services or products they provide to users.
- What was your main takeaway from this conference?
Data should be recognised as a strategic asset in any organisation, to face the current challenges and meet future business objectives. Organisations that are data and insights driven have shown tremendous revenue performance, increased profit, and improvement in customer satisfaction. On the contrary, organisations that fall behind do not survive. This can be perfectly summarized in a quote from Harvard Business Review: “Consider that since 2000, 52% of the companies on the Fortune 500 have been acquired, merged, gone bankrupt, or fallen off the list. These changes are often due to digital disruptions.” (Source)
