E is for Eskwelabs Issue 87 - Eskwelabs Hits a Home Run! ⚾
Game-changing plays that lead to victory 💯
We created this newsletter to keep our alums, partners, and anyone interested in learning skills for the future of work updated and connected to our ever-growing community. If you want to read our previous issues, you can check them out here.
Ciao! This is Meg speaking. 👋 This month’s celebration of wins continues with as much exhilaration as the Golden State Warriors 🏀 scoring a buzzer-beater win from the three-point line, or as nail-biting as the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Maholmes 🏈 delivering stunning plays in the Superbowl. The thrill of success parallels the time when Sarina Bolden scored our first-ever goal for the Philippine National Women’s team ⚽ or when we found out that Bianca Bustamante is the first female Filipino driver to be included in the McLaren Driver Development Programme 🏎️.
We may not be athletes ourselves, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate with the same fervor and passion that reverberates through the stadiums 🎉. In this issue, we’ll mimic the hype of sports tournaments and celebrate the wins of BOTH our learners and team!
Some questions we’ll be answering:
How can we adapt to the changing conditions on the field? ⛳
What key elements of our “game plan” need to be executed flawlessly to succeed in our careers? 📋
How do we envision the flow of the “game” and what can we do to control it in our favor? 💡
Reading time: 6 minutes
Haaaaapy Reading!
Introducing the Rookie of the Year Shaira Gabat! 🏅
Stories of career shifting inspire us because they attest to the willingness to embrace change—encouraging us to explore diverse paths in the evolving job market. 🌌
Such is the path of Shaira Gabat, a recent alumna of our Data Analytics Bootcamp who was able to access our program through our financing partner Bukas. ⭐
Eskwelabs partners with Bukas to offer Study Now, Pay Later financing for our public programs to make the type of education we’re offering more accessible. ✅ Bukas significantly adds to our payment options, providing our learners with greater flexibility and control over their program payment.
Her success stands as a testament to the transformative power of alternative paths, inspiring others to explore diverse avenues in their careers and embrace the possibilities that lie ahead. 🗺️ Check out her story below!
“Education is my all-access pass to life. It's my key to pursuing better job opportunities, thinking on my feet, and making wise life decisions. Education gives me the ability to participate in making the world a better place. So, whether I'm pursuing my dreams or simply trying to make ends meet, I believe that education is my ticket to a better life. While studying Computer Engineering at CEU [Centro Escolar University], I also work as a Spanish-bilingual representative. Although it allows me to earn more, I've been struggling to find a work-life balance, as working the graveyard shift is not that easy.
That’s why I decided to transition to data analytics because it allows me to apply my technical skills in a high demand field while pursuing my interest in problem-solving and data analysis in a more relaxed environment. I just finished my bootcamp with Eskwelabs this September. When people learn that I have no plans to become a computer engineer in the long run, they would say, 'sayang naman yung pinag-aralan mo.' They think I’m wasting money and time on things that I want to study instead of simply finishing college first.
My father is the reason I continue my studies despite the stigmas and challenges. If he were still alive, I know he would not stop me from doing things differently. Instead, he would believe in me and my dreams. I still want to make him proud and assure him that his sacrifices were not in vain. I'm a ‘Walang Hiyang Estudyante’ because I will never be ashamed of doing things the unconventional way. Owning my future means taking control of my education, setting clear goals, and making thoughtful decisions that align with my goals. By being self-motivated, resilient and adaptable, I can shape my journey and pave the way for a successful and fulfilling future.”
Ready to take the leap? ✈️ Visit our blog for an in-depth look at the Bukas partnership and sign up for the Data Analytics Bootcamp today!
Meet our MVP, Seth Blanco 🐐
A former professional chemist, Seth has made a remarkable shift from the world of chemical compounds to the intricacies of data analysis. 📊 Picture a player smoothly transitioning from one position to another on the field; that's Seth in the professional arena.
Before becoming a data analyst, Seth held a chemistry license (and he still does!) and pursued a career as a chemist. 💼 His professional journey was marked by site jobs and tasks directly related to the field. However, life's playbook took an unexpected turn, leading him to the field of data analysis.
Reflecting on his career shift, Seth shared, "Even when I was studying Chemistry, I was already doing data analytics, so the interest was there already. When the pandemic came, and the online world 🌐 opened, I met a lot of people who were doing data analytics and so I thought 'Ah pwede pala to.' I was exposed to the industry, that’s why I thought that this can be something to look into."
The journey, however, was not without its challenges. Seth initially explored Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), but the self-paced nature lacked the accountability he sought. It was only a matter of time before he discovered Eskwelabs, a guiding light in his pursuit of formal and professional learning in data analytics. 🚀
Seth encountered Eskwelabs prior to making the decision to transition careers. He had long considered acquiring formal or professional skills in data analysis, attempting platforms like Coursera and YouTube. However, the solitary nature of his efforts left him struggling to contextualize his learning or to put it into practice. It was during this period that he crossed paths with individuals participating in Eskwelabs’ Data Science Fellowship, all of whom were fellow career shifters. 🤝 Drawn by their stories of pre-bootcamp experiences and the subsequent professional opportunities that unfolded, Seth found his way to Eskwelabs. In this new environment, the challenges he once faced no longer persisted. 🌟
"Curriculum-wise, I trust the system, lectures, exams, materials. Mentorship—constant feedback, what I'm doing is right and industry-standard; mentors sharing expertise," Seth acknowledged as he listed down the bootcamp features that helped him. 📚
Image generated by Adobe Firefly
He even recounted a specific moment in the program that left an impression on his career. 🤔
"In the latter part of the sprint, pa-final presentation na that’s when I got to see how a data project works. It’s not just about being a data analyst; there are also other experts from other industries. As a group, we weren’t equally skilled. I had a groupmate who studied business, so they handled the recommendations. Meanwhile, my previous work experience made me the charts guy or SQL guy.” 📈 The collaborative nature of the boot camp mirrored the real-world scenarios he would later encounter in his professional career.
Now an integral part of the data team at GCash, Seth monitors a myriad of data-related aspects, ensuring compliance with regulatory bodies and the company's SOPs. 🔍 The transition from a learner to a professional wasn't a walk in the park for Seth, given his background in chemistry. Rejections and nine months of perseverance eventually led to a breakthrough, marking the beginning of his impactful journey in the fintech industry.
Seth Blanco's story echoes the spirit of resilience and adaptability—traits essential to succeed in a highly digital world. 🚀 In a game-changing move, he traded chemical equations for data algorithms, securing his position as a valuable player in the dynamic field of data analytics.
Eskwelabs’ Game Plan: Upskilling with AI 🏆
The celebration extends to our team as well as we can proudly say that this year, we have successfully incorporated GenAI into our workflows! 🎉
As you might recall, the Learning Day is our unique take on the four-day workweek, dedicated solely to expanding our knowledge beyond our daily roles. This time around, we orchestrated the Internal Staff Sprint on AI and Productivity, a three-day intensive exploration into the realms of content strategy, customer and community management, and social media strategy and analytics. 🤖
Why this internal sprint, you ask? Team development took center stage. 💪 Our team not only became champions and innovators in AI but also harnessed their newfound skills to boost productivity within their work streams. 👩💻
Just as our learners went through their learning sprints, we too joined our learning platform Disco where we could find our cheatsheets, slide decks, and class recordings. 📚 We also had time to work on our outputs or mini-projects when we were sorted into breakout rooms that were facilitated by a mentor.
Spread across three days, each focusing on a distinct aspect, the sprint unfolded as follows:
Day One: Content Strategy and Creation
Deep dives into crafting compelling content strategies. 🔍
Output: Articles that reflected newfound insights and strategies. 📝
Day Two: Customer and Community Management
Leveraging AI to streamline communication.⏱️
Output: A meticulously crafted email using ChatGPT and a slide deck done in under 10 minutes. 📧
Day Three: Social Media Strategy and Analytics
Utilizing Python to generate charts for enhanced analytics. 🐍
Output: Engaging social media captions and informative charts for effective reporting. 📊
What now?
This training opens the door to a future in which we are more equipped to redefine and elevate the learning journey for our participants. 🌐 This means refining content strategies, streamlining communication through advanced AI applications, and leveraging technology for insightful analytics in social media strategy to better enrich your experience. ✨
Other wins we’re proud of!
🏠 The Data Analytics Bootcamp had an Open House last November 16 where participants got to ask questions about the program.
🖥️ Cohort 12 of the Data Science Fellowship wrapped up with its last sprint being the first ever to discuss Natural Language Processing!
🎤 We also had a Live Experience for aspiring data scientists in which they were able to observe and code along in an actual Data Science class!
✅ Our Chief of Staff Francine Tan had a talk about self-augmentation with AI at WordCamp Manila 2023! 💬
📚 Learning Success Officer Kerith de Ocampo wrote about The Irreplaceable Role of Data Analysts and Other Careers.
🚀 Data Science Fellowship Cohort 8 Alum Basty Vergara wrote about Product Data Science and how it’s different from the Data Science that we know!
🗃️ A lot of ongoing Data Analytics Learning Sprints ongoing! We’re proudly working on:
An ongoing Data Literacy and Dashboards with AI for Education Sprint for the students of the University of Nueva Caceres
An ongoing Digital Marketing Sprint aimed to benefit Marikina's shoe-making craftsmanship.
Cohort 12 of our Data Analytics Bootcamp.
Cheers to our team for being a well-oiled machine! ⚒️
#SquadGoals 💁♀️
The goal is to end the year strong, and we cannot wait to update you with more wins in this last run of 2023. 👏 Make sure to follow us on our Facebook and Instagram pages and subscribe to our newsletter because we want to share this celebration with you! 📩
💌 Learning with you,
Meg Ruiz
Senior Officer at Eskwelabs