Vaibhav follows his passion for data by pursuing a career at Specsavers

Vaibhav Mehta’s passion for data evolved during his final year of his bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Telecommunications. A career with Specsavers was an exciting prospect for Vaibhav, and in 2021 he transitioned into the role of Data Engineer.

“During my degree, I started learning about various machine learning algorithms through the Stanford University’s Machine Learning Course delivered online by Dr Andrew NG. I applied these algorithms and data practices to my internship projects. This helped me identify my passion for data,” says Vaibhav.

He decided to pursue this interest by enrolling at Monash University to study a Master of Data Science, helping him enhance his programming skills.

“I enrolled in subjects that align to big data analytics, statistical modelling, data wrangling and visualization.

“I was lucky to land internships that helped me apply the knowledge I was gaining through my masters,” adds Vaibhav.

After joining Specsavers as a Data Engineer, Vaibhav worked in daily data ingestion and reporting tasks. Soon he was working with millions of data rows and collaborating with various business stakeholders.

“I was given responsibilities in gradual increments, which prevented me from being overwhelmed with work.

“Having a comfortable and secure learning space built my confidence in having a go at creative experiments and not being afraid of failures,” adds Vaibhav.

Confidence didn’t come so easily for Vaibhav as he was nervous about applying his skills in the business world.

“When I first started at Specsavers, I was worried whether the skills I have and my lack of business experience will be sufficient in the role,” says Vaibhav.

Now that he has settled into the role, Vaibhav knows that he has the support to back him, which has given him a deeper level of confidence to perform well in his role and add value.

“Specsavers offers a very supportive environment where you are encouraged and motivated to work on self-development.

“The fact that I am allowed to experiment and showcase my creativity keeps me intrigued, and it never feels like a mundane nine to five job,” adds Vaibhav.

Vaibhav believes that you should chase your passions, talk to as many people and learn as much as possible to make your dreams a reality.

“It’s important first to identify what your passions are. Try out several courses and get in touch with people in the industry. This will help you increase your confidence in your decision and pursue a fulfilling career,” says Vaibhav.

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