Data & You ft Ruby Ihekweme

Learning from the expertise of seasoned professionals makes navigating a new world much simpler because we can discover what they got right and the tricks they employed to achieve success. Hello, techie! In this article, we’ll be chatting with Ruby Ihekweme, popularly known as RubyTechMe, an outstanding data analyst.

Ruby is also the creator of Digitaley Drive, a community that gives you access to courses and resources so you may begin a career in data. The data journey Ruby has taken is remarkable. Please sit tight as we begin this discussion.

I believe it’s super important to start small by asking the question, what is data? To truly understand what a data bender does. Ruby sees data as the epicenter of every business and is crucial to shaping today’s global economies. She even dares to say Data is the new AI.

Ruby’s adventure into data began when she began her first internship experience at KPMG, where she interned as a Data Analyst. Everyone’s path begins somewhere. She was unaware of the concept of data and only learned about Python and other stacks while working an internship. She then enrolled in a boot camp where she studied Excel, PowerBi, SQL, and Tableau out of her interest and with encouragement from her management.

It’s safe to presume that after reading Ruby’s up to this point, you may be curious about how her adventure has gone. diving without much or any supervision into a completely new environment. Ruby offered us some background information on her journey to data.

“My journey has not been the smoothest and at the same time the smoothest lol. I would say it wasn’t smooth because there were so many times I had to pause coding or anything Data related as I was writing my BSc and ICAN examination. This made it overwhelming, and many times I wanted to give up.

It was the smoothest because I transitioned easily and was quite determined.” ~ Ruby

Never undervalue the strength of willpower. You can conceive of anything if you can dream it. You can give birth to it if you’re determined. Ruby’s tenacity made the adjustment simple. Do you struggle with the transition? Are you concerned or overburdened that events won’t go as you had hoped? Consider Ruby. Consider the wider picture and decide if it is worthwhile to pursue.

We asked Ruby to share resources that anyone looking to dive into data might find helpful and her response was everything.

“The truth is there are so many resources out there and I would just advise that you pick what you can work with, focus on it, learn, practice, and get good at it.” ~ Ruby

The truth is we have tons of resources that you can work with. Get your hands dirty and find what works for you. Explore to find out more. The more you look, the more resources you discover. It is equally important to practice as you learn. It helps you understand concepts better.

You may find it interesting to know that Ruby has a fantastic community of data benders. We were surprised by the inspiration behind the group’s founding.

“The inspiration started from WhatsApp where I got a lot of questions about Data. I began to constantly educate people about data and was answering lots of questions about Data Analytics as a career. I identified the gap and decided to make contributions to the Data tech space on a larger scale which pushed me to start Digitaley Drive and RubyTechMe.”

There will always be a gap, but what steps are you taking to close it? Ruby recognized a need and made a conscious effort to close it by creating a network that informs and inspires those considering a career in data.

You might want to join Ruby’s community here’s how to go about it.

“For my Edtech company Digitaley Drive, Anyone can join. As long as you show interest in Data Analytics and remain committed to the cause. Cohorts open every 2 months and anyone can sign up with the link” ~ Ruby

Follow Digitaley Drive on Instagram to stay updated as to when a new cohort will commence.

And for those of you wondering why community is so important, here’s what Ruby has to say.

“I would say that a community is one of the key facets of one’s tech career. Communities go a long way in making coding easier, meeting like-minded people, staying motivated, getting referrals, and networking.” ~ Ruby

With the hype of social media, we asked Ruby which speaks more volumes, Social portfolio or Data portfolio?

“The importance of a data portfolio cannot be farfetched. A data portfolio is what reflects your skill set and ability to confidently say ‘I sabi this tech thing’. A data portfolio also helps you keep track of your growth. You can look back and say “Oh! I did this, thank God for growth. Now I can do better than this” ~ Ruby

You might then start to question if being a Content Creator as a Data baddie is necessary. Here’s what Ruby has to say.

“I would say No. Because you can stay low-key and still be a data baddie while earning your dollars.” ~ Ruby

As we come to the end of this read, it’s only proper to ask Ruby for tips while searching for a job as a new data bender, and here are some tips she gave.

“ I call it the Aftermath

• Build a good CV
• Let your application be very very intentional
• Don’t fix your eyes only on the big tech. Shoot for startups and smaller companies.
• You can reach out to founders or people in general “ ~ Ruby

To wrap up this read, we asked Ruby to describe her journey so far and leave a word for new data benders.

“My Journey has been great, there’s more work that needs to be done and I am excited for what’s before me. Also, your journey cannot be like every other person’s journey. Know what works for you, stay dedicated, believe in your future, and put in the work.” ~ Ruby

We believe we learn a lot more from people’s stories, as a result, this series, Data & You, was created to provide new data benders and even Idolos in the world of data with more insights into where to begin, how they got started, and how much work still needs to be done. It all boils down to starting. And finally, how motivated are you to succeed?

Catch you in the next read, Techie!