Data Science will be automated in the future: Myth or fact? Find out!

While in school or college, getting good grades is the ultimate goal. But as we step onto the corporate bandwagon, expertise, skills and knowledge speak for us. Moreover, having a great team and sizable set of responsibilities while bringing change to the company’s overall success, becomes our driving force. Shabir Grover, a Data Scientist and alumnus of Apeejay School, Saket looks at it all through a tech lens. In his words, “Life becomes a multi-objective optimisation problem instead of optimising a single objective.” Read On, as he shares more:

Please take us through your educational journey.

I spent 14 years from kindergarten to 12th grade in Apeejay School, Saket. In school, I learnt a great deal academically and got opportunities to participate in a plethora of events that allowed me to grow as an individual.

Then, I pursued an undergraduate degree in Mechanical engineering at Delhi Technological University. I have a strong proclivity for automobiles, and I even joined a race car engineering team in college. My experiences made me want to further my engineering skill sets. And so, I enrolled at the University of Michigan, United States, for a dual degree programme in Management, Business Analytics and Mechanical engineering which I completed in 2020.

How and when did you realise your calling for Data Science?

While studying at the University of Michigan, I enjoyed delving deep into technical details and researching them. Further, I was curious to experience stakeholder interaction and problem-solving in a business context. So, as a part of my degree from the Business School, I took a few data science courses. They piqued my interest and then I tried to align my experiences thereafter.

I got a great opportunity to intern at Microsoft and apply my skill sets. The stint made me realise the kind of work I want to be doing. During my major, I took classes in Statistics and Machine Learning and tutored for Data Science courses. Those reinforced my interest and commitment to the field.

What does your role at Microsoft entail? What are your responsibilities?

I’m working as a Data Scientist at Microsoft Customers and Partner Solutions. My focus areas are Microsoft Dynamics and Microsoft Power Platform products, as well as to drive customer success and consumption. In this role, I am building solutions to predict customer satisfaction as they use Microsoft products. The goal is to drive up consumption and my regular work day involves collaborating with business stakeholders, developers and data engineers to gather data, understand trends and build machine learning models.

You are successfully placed at Microsoft with a prestigious degree and educational background. Did you plan your study abroad journey? How did you make it?

Some of it was planned, a lot of it happened by chance. My decision to pursue a Master’s course in Mechanical engineering in the States was planned. And so, I started focusing on my Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) preparation and admission applications during my final year of undergraduate studies.

However, my decision to enroll in a Masters of Management programme was not planned. Further, I was lucky to have got an opportunity at Microsoft in a Data Science role. I simply followed my passion and let life take its course.

What did school years at Apeejay, Saket look like?

I learnt a lot academically and developed strong bonds with my teachers and friends. I used to look forward to the annual day preparations in the school. That was the most fun time!

One life mantra you follow?

Lead with humility, persistence and passion.

Advice for students?

Don’t be afraid to take risks. It is okay to not do the usual as long as you’re passionate about it. Follow your dreams and success will come as a by-product.