Oh Boy… Backing up data is phew… tiring stuff..!! whole 220 GB of stuff.. The Transcend did a pretty seemless job and i am happy bout the purchase.. I am yet to reformat the XPS and reload .. the necessary stuff back from the Transcend. Been quite busy lately.. Have joined this institue called G&K Analytics Training Institute (ATI) in Jayanagar, Bangalore. Its a small yet cozy place for learning. The trainings offered range widely on SAS ( Statistical Analysis ) , Advanced Analytics and Advanced Excel which includes concepts on VBA. This were exactly the kind of courses that i was hoping to enroll for. The good things i like about the institue is that its were apt for learning, the training labs are open round the clock so you can walk in and practice on the modules. The instructors are industry experienced with combines experience of over 20yrs in analytics. The institute was founded by Gautam Munshi and Pavan Bhat. The have worked extensively in the fields of Business Intelligence and Analytics in organtizations such as HSBC,Genpact,Marketics,etc. Currently they run their own consultany firm called Redwood Associates. They do hire interns from ATI.
Well i am not trying to advertise for the institute however this is definitely a one of a place that has been setup considering the industry needs in mind. Kudos to them who understand the needs and requirements of “Wannabe Analysts”.
Well, am sure the next question would be on certifications. Well ATI would conduct their own tests on the modules conducted and will give you a certificate. However this is not enough to prove that you are a SAS certified professional. There is a dearth for SAS certified professionals in the KPO industry and it is a good thing to b certified. So how does one get certified ?? Well you would need to take the certification at one of the prometric test centers. Check all the details here. The SAS institute has its own training partners for instance SIBA (in Bangalore) and LAXAI (in Hyderabad). But i believe they are a tad too expensive. But i prefered the ATI coz at the end of it all, the certification needs to be taken from the SAS Training institute itself.
Will keep ya all posted bout the progress and give you a sneak peek at the Inside Stuff of SAS 🙂
Cheers.
Padmanabh Padiyar 