Upskilling in the domain of mechanical engineering with data science

16 Jun 2021 - Nabin Joshi

I am Nabin Joshi, aData fellow at Code for Nepal . I am a mechanical engineering student. I received my bachelor’s degree in 2019 from Kathmandu University. Many technological advancements radically modified machines over time, due to researchers and scientists that worked tirelessly to make things happen the way they are now. Machines, which were completely mechanically driven only a few years ago, have now begun to work automatically, thanks to programming, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other technologies. This progress piqued my curiosity, which evolved into a desire to pursue Mechanical Engineering as a bachelor’s degree.

But during my college years, I was not interested in programming; C and C++ were the only two classes I had taken in my first year. Every year, we were also required to complete engineering project work as part of our course credit. I realized the true usefulness of programming when I was in my third year because it was and still is used in almost every field. The synergistic pairing of mechanical engineering and computer science helps the upskilling in this domain. I deduced, “It is the future.” My desire to learn python grew even stronger thereafter, thanks to its simple syntax.

I learned about the DataCamp in 2020 from a Facebook ad. I impulsively registered for one of the courses because it was available for a limited time for free. In 2021, I accessed DataCamp for the second time, this time as a Data Fellow at Code for Nepal. I’ve enrolled in the Python Programmer and Machine Learning career track, as well as numerous other python programming courses that have helped me to develop my basic coding skills. Because I had no idea what basic coding abilities a mechanical engineer would need, I began taking courses at random, in a rush to learn everything that came my way, whether it was relevant or irrelevant to my career. I used to wonder after enrolling in a course, “Is this the right course for me?”

I wished DataCamp had a career track titled Python for Mechanical Engineers to make things easier. I’m not sure if one exists. It took me approximately two and a half months to figure out what to learn and what to disregard at DataCamp, which covers a wide range of topics. I learned and am currently learning fundamental programming skills and tools through the Code for Nepal fellowship. It is an accomplishment for me to have progressed from nothing to something.

I’m still undecided about what I want to pursue as a career, but I’m interested in becoming an automation engineer, a data scientist, or a mechanical design engineer, to name a few. Being a Data Fellow at Code for Nepal has been quite beneficial in assisting me in achieving my goal.

As I progress in my datacamp career tracks I have realized just like how Steve Jobs said in a famous Stanford commencement speech “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward” I have to believe that the dots (code skills) will connect to what I’ll be doing in the future. Believing that the dots will join in the future motivates me to keep doing what I’m doing today. We’re getting closer to the end of the DataCamp fellowship with each passing day, and I’m starting to acquire a sense of how to make the most of it.

The opportunity to participate in the Code for Nepal fellowship was one of the nicest things that have ever occurred to me, and I am grateful to Code for Nepal for providing me with this fantastic opportunity.