Data Scientists Should Get International Certifications! Four recommendations and how to plan for them.

2024.10.31

  • Career Advice
データサイエンティストは国際資格を取得すべき!おすすめ4選と計画の立て方を解説

One way to prove a data scientist's skills is to obtain a certification.Although qualifications are not always required for this type of work, it is possible to objectively prove your skills by obtaining some kind of certification. There are advantages to obtaining a certification, such as making it easier to appeal to clients.
However, there are a number of qualifications suitable for data scientists, and some people may not be able to decide which one to acquire. In this issue, we will focus on international certifications that are accepted overseas, as well as popular certifications in Japan and how to make a plan to obtain a certification.

Should the data scientist be certified?


To begin with, some may question whether a data scientist should obtain international certifications or other qualifications. The conclusion is that it is not necessary to obtain an international certification, as certification is not an essential part of the profession. There are many people who are working as data scientists without obtaining a certification.
However, while certification is not mandatory, data scientists can benefit from obtaining an international certification. For example, certification allows objective proof of one's skills. It will be an appealing point when you get a job or change jobs, or even when you participate in a project related to data science. If you have acquired not only Japanese qualifications but also international qualifications, you can prove your skills in global projects as well.
In addition, acquiring a certification has the advantage of allowing you to learn about data science systematically. This is because many certifications require a great deal of knowledge about data science from a broad perspective. Qualifications require comprehensive learning in addition to work experience, making it worthwhile to pursue them as part of your skill development.
 

Four international certifications for data scientists


Four specific international certifications are recommended for data scientists.

Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)

Test Time120minutes
FormatCBT
Examination fees$645(合格後の認定に$55)
Pass Rateprivate
Prerequisitenone
Official Sitehttps://www.certifiedanalytics.org/cap

The Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) is a unique assessment of the skills required of data science professionals. It is administered by a private organization in the United States and is unique in that it is a certification independent of any specific vendor or technology. It is a certification that is attracting worldwide attention, and it is no exaggeration to say that it is the leading international certification for data scientists.
It is not simply a matter of having data science skills to take the exam, with the stipulation that you must hold a bachelor's or doctoral degree in order to be certified. Also, you can't just graduate and immediately receive the certification you hold; there are requirements such as a minimum of 3 years with an MA/MS or 5 years with a BA/BS.
Other Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) exams consist of questions from the following seven areas and have a fixed point distribution.

  • Business Problem Framing - 14% of exam questions
  • Analytics Problem Framing - 17% of exam questions
  • Data - 23% of exam questions
  • Methodology Selection - 14% of exam questions
  • Model Building - 16% of exam questions
  • Deployment - 10% of exam questions
  • Lifecycle Management - 6% of exam questions

Because of the very broad and in-depth nature of the questions, sufficient knowledge must be acquired through work experience.

IBM Data Science Professional Certificate

Test TimeNone
FormatCBT
Examination feesFree
Pass Rateprivate
Prerequisitenone
Official Site

https://www.ibm.com/training/badge/data-science-professional-certificate

 The IBM Data Science Professional Certificate is a certification program for data scientists offered by IBM, a major IT vendor. The certificate is awarded after attending a variety of lectures and passing a series of tests offered by IBM. The certification is somewhat different from other certifications because there is no need to pass a specific exam and there is no certification fee.
To become certified, you must attend 12 different lectures on a service called “coursera. The courses cover the basics of data science, tools for analysis, Python programming, data visualization, and more. The course is basically offered in English, but a Japanese version is also available, so although it is an international certification, it is possible to take the course in either language.
After taking the course, there is a kind of confirmation test, and passing it is the only way to complete the lecture. Imagine that you pass one course at a time toward certification of your qualification.

Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate

Test Time100minutes
FormatCBT
Examination fees21,102 yen
Pass Rateprivate
Prerequisitenone
Official Sitehttps://learn.microsoft.com/ja-jp/credentials/certifications/azure-data-scientist/?practice-assessment-type=certification

Azure, a cloud service, offers a variety of international certifications, and the certification for data scientists is the Azure Data Scientist Associate.There is also a certification called “Azure Data Fundamentals,” but this is for novice engineers, and data scientists should get the more difficult one.
The skills you can prove are mostly Azure-dependent, such as managing and running Azure Machine Learning resources, training models, etc. Since Azure runs data science resources in an environment called a workspace, think of it as an international certification that proves you can operate that part of the system properly. Think of it as an international certification that certifies that you can properly operate that part of the business.However, the prerequisite for this is the data analysis and AI utilization skills required of a data scientist, and this part of the certification is also encompassed.

AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate

Test Time130minutes
FormatCBT
Examination fees$150
Pass Rateprivate
Prerequisitenone
Official Sitehttps://aws.amazon.com/jp/certification/certified-data-engineer-associate/

The AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate certifies a wide range of data science skills offered by AWS, a public cloud service.The exam is designed to test practical skills, with two to three years of work experience as a data scientist recommended. You must also be able to determine how to handle various AWS services based on your data science skills.This is an international certification that certifies skills at two levels: as a data engineer and as an AWS engineer.
It is important to note that the questions for AWS certifications change frequently. One reason for this may be that it is the world's leading cloud service, and it is constantly introducing the latest technologies. As the service changes, the content of the questions on the exam must also change, which inevitably leads to frequent changes. However, this quick upgrade is also the reason why the certification is highly regarded as an international certification.

Four national certifications for data scientists


The following are four national certifications recommended for data scientists.

Data Scientist Certification (DS Certification)

Test Time100minutes
FormatCBT
Examination feesGeneral price: 10,000 yen (tax included)
Student discount price: 5,000 yen (tax included)
Pass Rateprivate
Prerequisitenone
Official Sitehttps://www.datascientist.or.jp/

The Data Scientist Certificate is a certification offered by the Association of Data Scientists. It is a certification that mainly certifies “business skills,” “data science skills,” and “data engineering skills,” and acquiring this certification proves that the applicant has the basic skills in data science. Some of the questions that will be asked are as follows

  • Business skills: business mindset, data and AI ethics, compliance, AI application considerations, various management skills, etc.
  • Data science skills: various mathematics, data cleansing, data processing, natural language processing, etc.
  • Data engineering skills: system planning, system design, data processing, programming and SQL, etc.

According to the scope of questions on the official website, it is indicated that questions may be asked from a very large number of units. It is important to note that the questions include the use of AI, which has been in demand in recent years.
In other words, the scope of the exam is so broad that it is impossible to pass without adequate preparation. In addition to questions that simply require memorization of terms, there are also practical questions such as utilization of specific algorithms and reading and understanding of charts and diagrams. It is important to check the latest scope of the exam before taking the exam and prepare accordingly.

Statistical Tests

Test TimeLevel 3 to Level 1: 90 minutes
Basic Data Science: 90 minutes
Data Science Development: 60 minutes
FormatCBT
Examination feesGeneral price: 6,000 - 10,000 yen (tax included)
Student discount price: 4,000 yen - 6,000 yen (tax included)
Pass Rateprivate
Prerequisitenone
Official Sitehttps://www.toukei-kentei.jp/

The Statistics Certificate is a certification that certifies statistical skills, and exists from Level 4, which certifies skills at the junior and senior high school level, to Level 1, which certifies skills at the university major level. It is also characterized by multiple levels and specializations, such as statistical researcher, professional statistical researcher, and basic data science. However, Level 1 is very high level and the requirements for taking the exam are complex, so we will not introduce it here.
As a data scientist, if you want to prove your mathematical skills, you should aim to pass Level 2 of the Statistics Proficiency Test. And if you want to prove your data science skills, you should aim to obtain either the Fundamentals of Data Science or the Development of Data Science. For the Developmental, based on general data science skills at the college liberal arts level, you will be asked questions that combine data science and statistics skills, and if you pass, you will be able to prove your skills. Not all statistics can be applied to data science, so if you want to prove your skills by focusing on the relevant areas, you should obtain a data science focused one.

National Examination for Basic Information Technology Engineers

Test Time90分+100分
FormatCBT
Examination fees7,500 yen
Pass RatePrivate
Prerequisite特になし
Official Sitehttps://www.ipa.go.jp/shiken/kubun/fe.html

The Basic Information Processing Engineer Examination is a national certification offered by the Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan. The examinations consist of four levels and several specialized fields, of which the Basic Information Processing Engineer Examination is classified as Level 2, which certifies basic skills. It is characterized by the fact that it tests a wide range of skills necessary for engineers, and requires knowledge not only of technical content, but also of management and strategy.
Because the questions cover a wide range of areas, only a few questions are related to data science. However, by obtaining the Basic Information Technology Engineer exam, you can prove that you have other skills besides those related to data science. The ability to prove skills related to management and strategy is an advantage that no other certification, including international certifications, can offer.

G検定・E資格

The certification exam and the E-Certification, both organized by the Japan Deep Learning Association (JDLA), certify whether or not you understand how AI can be used in business and the theory of deep learning, both of which are of great relevance to data scientists.You must choose which of these you should acquire depending on the skills you wish to prove.

G検定

Test Time120分
FormatCBT
Examination fees

一般価格:13,200 yen((incl. tax))

学割価格:5,500 yen((incl. tax))

Pass RatePrivate
Prerequisite特になし
Official Sitehttps://www.jdla.org/certificate/general/

As a data scientist, if you want to prove that you are literate, get the G certification.You can prove that you can handle sound data science projects, ethical data collection methods, compliance and various laws and regulations, and more!

E資格

Test Time120分
FormatCBT
Examination fees

general price:33,000 yen((incl. tax))

student discount price:22,000 yen((incl. tax))

Pass RatePrivate
PrerequisiteMust have completed a JDLA accredited program.
Official Sitehttps://www.jdla.org/certificate/engineer/

If you want to prove your technical skills in data science, go for the E-Certification.You will be tested on your knowledge of mathematics and statistical analysis, as well as deep learning and algorithm evaluation deep learning mechanisms. This certification is highly technical and up-to-date, so if you want to prove your engineering skills, this is the one for you.
Please note that if you do not attend a training course held by the Japan Deep Learning Association within the past two years, you will not be qualified to take the exam.
 

Process for Data Scientists to obtain certification


This section describes the process for data scientists who wish to obtain an international certification.

Setting Objectives and Goals

First, establish your purpose for obtaining an international certification, and then set goals accordingly. For example, your objective could be “I want to prove my skills. Once you have a clear objective, it will be easier to set specific goals. For example, you will be able to determine which international certification is best suited to prove your skills. Be aware that setting vague goals will not help you focus on your studies to pass the exam, so be sure to set them in a way that confronts you.

Gathering Information and Planning

Once you have a clear idea of the international certification you wish to obtain, you must define a clear path toward passing the exam. First, gather up-to-date information on international certifications so that you can plan your path. We have introduced a number of qualifications in this issue, and you are encouraged to gather information about these and others on your own. You need to check the latest syllabus to see what content is included in the scope of the exam.
Once you have gathered the information, you must develop a specific plan of study. For example, the Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) consists of seven areas, so you must decide how long and how much time you will spend studying these areas. When developing your plan, be sure to allow plenty of time.

Learning Basic Knowledge

Based on the content specified in the syllabus, proceed with your studies in order. In many international certifications, information related to data science is covered in an exhaustive manner. Therefore, you must check the scope of the questions and study extensively. Although there is much that can be learned through practical work, in most cases you will have to study systematically using books. In addition to books, which are the official teaching materials, sometimes you will also use YouTube and other content to acquire the knowledge you lack.

Confirmation through mock exams

Once you have completed a certain amount of study, you should try to take a practice exam. They may be offered online or have questions available in the book. By taking a practice exam, you can check whether your knowledge has been retained and whether you can output your acquired knowledge in a way that is consistent with the questions.
One of the reasons why students often fail to demonstrate their ability on the actual exam is that they are not familiar with the questions and “didn't understand what was being asked”. Even if you have mastered the knowledge, if you cannot answer the questions, you will not pass the exam, so it is important to familiarize yourself with the questions as much as possible.

Taking the actual exam

Once you are ready, all you have to do is take the actual exam and try to pass. Try to stay calm and perform to the best of your ability. It is also important to get some rest before the exam so that you are in good condition to perform to the best of your ability.
Some international certifications have restrictions on the dates you can take the exam. For example, you can apply for the “AWS Certified Big Data - Specialty” at any time, but you must apply for the “Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)” at the same time. If you are thinking, “I will apply only after I have the skills to pass the exam,” you may miss the timing, so it is important to check in advance.
 

Summary


We have introduced international certifications that are useful for data scientists to prove their skills. Although internationally implemented qualifications should be considered as the main focus, there are also qualifications related to data science in Japan. Therefore, it is recommended that you aim to acquire not only international certifications but also domestic certifications.
In addition, acquiring such international qualifications for data scientists will make it easier to objectively demonstrate your skills.This will give you an advantage when searching for jobs and positions through recruitment agencies.To make the most of your strengths and change your job to a better environment, aim to acquire an international certification.

United World has many job openings for qualified data scientists. Please contact us if you are interested.

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