We're pleased to announce one of the winners of SwitchUp's gift card giveaway, Liad Levi-Raz!
Liad is a graduate of Udacity, with a background in computer science. With extensive experience in software development, Liad chose to grow his knowledge of machine learning and AI with Udacity. With help from Udacity, Liad was able to skill up, and has plans to continue learning about topics like statistics, data science, and more.
We sat down with Liad to learn more about his experience at Udacity, his advice for students considering enrolling in a bootcamp, and more!
1. Tell me about your background. What was your educational experience before joining Udacity?
I hold a B.A in Computer Science and I have been developing software for the past 20 years, my current role is software architect for Data and Machine Learning engineering.
2. What made you decide to pursue a career in tech?
I always loved technology and software, I like solving problems with software.
3. Why did you decide to attend Udacity? What were your goals for the program?
At first my job required me to have more knowledge about Machine Learning and AI - once I started to dive into it, I really liked it and since then I haven't stopped learning - I chose Udacity because I like to learn online, at my own pace, and because I find the content in a very high quality, the videos and the exercises that follow.
4. There are an increasing number of available bootcamps. Why did you decide to choose this program over others?
I wanted to develop my skills in the area of Machine Learning Engineering. Data Scientists and Engineers in my organization work together to run ML in production.
5. For you, what were the pros and cons of attending a bootcamp?
Pros:
- I am able to maintain a full time job
- I love learning at my own pace at my free time (mornings, nights)
- The content and exercises are excellent - step by step explanations in layman's terms
Cons:
- One thing that I couldn't get from an online course is that it is harder to discuss and consult other people, students or teachers, the online forums are good, but for humans, sometimes, a face to face discussion can have its benefits
6. Tell me a little bit about the course structure. What did you like best about the environment and teaching style?
I like the fact that the lessons are well organized: there is an introduction, material review and wrap up. On every chapter you need to complete multiple exercises, and one final project. The videos are usually short, and there are multiple exercises that help you understand and develop your intuition and professional understanding and vocabulary.
7. How did this program prepare you for a career in tech?
It helped me become much more familiar with ML and AI practices, I use it every day to design better solutions involving Machine Learning.
8. What challenges did you overcome to get where you are?
I was always working with software, as a programmer, manager and now as an architect. Each role had its challenges, sometimes knowledge gaps and sometimes organizational readiness, but with education and dedication things went well.
9. Tell us about what’s next. How do you plan to use your newfound skills as you build your career?
I am currently taking online courses in Statistics. I plan to dive deeper into the Data Science practices.
10. What advice do you have for people who are interested in attending a bootcamp?
If you have a hunger to learn, and you like to learn online, at your own pace, then taking a bootcamp like the Udacity Machine Learning Engineer is really a great way to get started. It gave me a real good understanding of what Machine Learning Engineering is, and helped me develop better software solutions that involve Machine Learning.
Are you a bootcamp student or alum? You could be our next giveaway winner! Write a review of your program, and you'll be entered to win an Amazon gift card.
