SOP Sample for MS Data Science in Australia - Mid Career

"I don't focus on what I'm up against. I focus on my goals and I try to ignore the rest." - Venus Williams. As we move forward with the Letter of Motivation, you'll discover how this quote finds relevance in my life. At a very young age I have discovered my definition of success that is not giving up on any circumstances, irrespective of the paths or boulders blocking off the way. Ever since I was young, I have been an achiever. I am an achiever not because I have an exceptional mind but because I work very hard in whatever comes in my way.

Growing up in a conservative family where people don't encourage female education, I worked hard to change their mindset and come this far to fulfil my dreams. Starting with my school life, I enjoyed playing sports, yoga and dealing with numbers. I am inherently curious about nature and growing up in the late 90's and early 00's made me fond of the rapidly expanding technology and novel gadgets, which were no less than alien objects to me at the time. I was always part of the top 10 students in my class and due to my keen interest in science my teachers always used to encourage me to do something new. I have achieved numerous medals and scholarships at various levels. I have been successfully able to balance my studies with extracurricular activities of my choice throughout my journey. Practising Yoga frequently has played a vital role in my life. I became part of the yoga membership in my school wherein I and my group have been capable of winning multiple awards and trophies each year.

I am a technology scholar with an inherent ability for the arts. I am a woman with a technical flair and a hobby in management. With a growing fascination towards technology and a keen interest in maths and science, I determined to pursue engineering and specialise in Electronics and Communication stream. The brilliant curriculum of [UNIVERSITY] ([UNIVERSITY]), not only provided me with a strong foundation of Electronics fundamentals but also exposed me to various upcoming fields of computer science. My keen interest in the subjects resulted in obtaining an A grade in my course. Along with my regular studies, I participated in various workshops. As the coordinator of the entrepreneurship cell of my university, I organized workshops and seminars, hosting business leaders from different domains to share their journey and help students to understand the corporate world better.

During my closing years in college, I got an opportunity to work as an intern with a start-up named [COMPANY], based in [ADDRESS] and [ORGANIZATION], based in [ADDRESS]. My foremost motive out of these two internships was to observe professional engineers in action, in a different environment, and the quality they were exhibiting that helped them work well and effectively in their engagement with their work. In [COMPANY], I worked with data analysts whom I assisted with daily, weekly, and monthly reports. In this internship, I was given a brief perception of Data Science. However, this small stint helped me realise my passion for Data and to prepare myself for that, I decided to get into the corporate world with my focus on Business Strategy, Data Management and Data Analytics.

Although I have always dreamt of being involved in a role related to Data Science, due to my financial situation after graduation, I joined [COMPANY] as a Network Records Associate wherein I was a part of the design and analysis team for the newly laid fibre network. My responsibilities included technical analysis of the case in hand and building strategies to provide a hybrid network solution with the existing copper and fibre network of the company in the UK region. Since my early days, I have been a good communicator and leader, understanding the exact requirement and motive of a project and motivating my mates in achieving the goal. Because of my efforts, I was shortly promoted to an SME (Subject Matter Expert). Initially, in accordance with my experience, I was assigned to handle a team of 20 people. My role involved handling the priority tasks and chasing the field engineers for the proper solution, QA engagements, Team Management, and interaction with key stakeholders. Here I improved my leadership quality along with my technical skills. Because of my efforts and passion for my work, I have been recognized by the [COMPANY] team for my relentless support towards customers and also contributing to the street work's training facility at [ADDRESS]. I was the only employee in [COMPANY] whose name will always shine on the wall of [COMPANY]'s new training centre in [ADDRESS] making me a part of its history.

Back then, I contributed to one of the Automation projects in which I realised the true potential of Data Science and Analytics. In this project I managed to save 2 FTEs (equivalent to two human effort per day). Initially, we had to check some fibre details on two different tabs in a tool named [TOOL_NAME], so I came up with the concept that if we merge both data in a single tab then it's going to save our time and we will manage more obligations. After working with the automation group my interest in this area elevated more. So, I took up another project wherein I was required to create a macro with the assistance of the automation team. This helped in the smooth functioning of the business.

Yet as time passed, I never forgot the goal of mine that I wanted to work as a data scientist although my past role was a blend of all these. After working for almost 2 years with the SME role, I wanted to explore Data Science domains to broaden my horizon and get a bigger exposure to working with Data and Statistics. I cleared my next promotion interview for the role of MI and BI expert. Here I worked on several tools that help me to extract, transform, and clean the data. On a daily basis, we got a request from a client to create a SQL query as per their requirement. As part of my BAU, I got exposure to several tools like Qlik sense (where we create the dashboards), OBIEE tool (used to work on different layers), JIRA (used to create issues and chase different project managers), SQL developer and RPD etc. Apart from work, I always had a keen interest in organising team events, parties, and fun activities which helped me to improve my personality. In addition to that, I am also a part of an NGO named [ORGANIZATION] where we support elders and children, helping them and making me feel better as a person.

In my professional journey of more than five years now, I have got good technical exposure in different business verticals and performed various techno-functional roles. I believe that this unique blend of experience has made me a person with an original point of view. I also believe now is the time for me to develop technical and statistical qualities, as well as gain a sound understanding of data science concepts, which is a crucial requirement to move forward with my long-term plan of being a Data Scientist. I have chosen to pursue further education at this university because it is one of the few Universities in Australia which is offering this course for International Students in English Language. While going through the course module, I found that it completely suffices my needs to carry out my MS in Data Science as the module focuses on relevant coursework. Moreover, by working under the guidance of distinguished researchers I am highly motivated and confident of making an original contribution to the field of Data Science.

I strongly believe that this course is a carefully crafted program, and it is a right fit for me. I believe international exposure and constant interaction with a diverse peer group will provide me with the right fuel to achieve my dream to explore more in the field of Data Science. Having confidence in my abilities and with the right attitude, I am looking forward to learning from one of the best institutions in Australia. Complementing my personality, I am sure I'll cherish the moments I'll spend learning here, both personally and professionally and become more equipped to fulfil my destiny.