To get a corporate executive job, Maria Jimenez decided to obtain an MBA degree. However, having seen her colleagues at the IT department of Tecnoquimicas – a pharmaceutical company – she eventually changed her mind.
Her department’s job was to make strategic decisions based on IT data. Maria Jimenez was the only employee with a college degree in business. Her company wanted a person who understood both business and IT, so Maria chose to enroll into a course in data science.
Big Data Growing Insanely Popular
Nowadays, master’s data science courses are quite popular, as more and more data analysis is needed in business, FT reports. While less people are applying for full-time MBAs year by year, more and more prospective students opt for data analytics programs. According to GMZC, in 2017, 74% of courses in data science experienced a growing number of applications, whereas only 32% of full-time MBA programs can boast the same popularity.
In 2017, big data and data analysis in business were the degrees of choice for 15% of male aspiring students and 10% of their female counterparts. For male students, data science takes the second place in preferred choices, the first being finance. Before, it took only the 13th place. Women reported it to be their eighth choice in popularity (after management, accounting, HR and psychology).
Is Big Data The Next Best-Paid Job?
People with degrees both in business and big data are offered the most lucrative jobs nowadays, as there is a high demand for such employees, especially with a master’s degree, especially in European business schools like HEC Paris. That’s why Maria Jimenez chose to study for her master’s in data science, and is now doing it in Lille, France. According to her, employees with such a skill set are highly sought after by many companies.
Interestingly, Maria Jimenez got a special student loan from her country’s (Colombia) government. If she goes back to her country, half of her loan will become a grant. However, Maria Jimenez decided to stay in France, even though she would have to pay off the whole amount of her student loan. Local jobs are much more lucrative than any of those she could get in Columbia. For her, it’s a rather large investment, but she is sure she can pay it off.
Join MBA25 events to learn more about the best business schools!
Back to top