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5 Cool Data Careers (That Aren’t Data Science) – Free Ways to Learn

📱 Read This if You Want a Data Job (But Not the Typical One)

Author

DEEP CHATTERJEE
August 22, 2025

Tired of hearing only about data scientists?

Good news—there are other great paths in the data world.

Here are 5 you should know.

They’re interesting, in-demand, and learnable for free.

Tired of hearing only about data scientists?

Good news—you’ve got loads of other cool paths in the data world. These roles are in demand, interesting, and you can start learning for free. Let’s break it down:

1️⃣ Data Product Manager

Build dashboards, APIs, ML tools. Bridge business and tech. Focus on user needs and feature performance.

What to Learn:

  • SQL & understanding KPIs

  • Agile basics + JIRA setup

  • Writing clear specs

  • Dashboard fundamentals

Free Resources:

2️⃣ Data Journalist

Turn raw data into real stories. Use charts and analysis to explain the world. You could work in media, NGOs, or freelance.

What to Learn:

  • Excel, Python, or R basics

  • Interactive chart tools like Flourish or Datawrapper

  • Clear writing + fact-checking skills

Free Resources:

3️⃣ Analytics Engineer

You clean and transform raw data. You’re the bridge for engineers and analysts, building datasets that are ready to use.

What to Learn:

  • Advanced SQL & dbt

  • Git basics

  • Cloud data tools: BigQuery, Snowflake, Redshift

Free Resource:

4️⃣ Operations Analyst

Your role? Making business run smoother. You track efficiency, costs, plan ahead, and build forecasts and dashboards.

What to Learn:

  • Excel + SQL

  • Power BI / Tableau / Looker basics

  • Modeling and automation skills

Free Resources:

  • Excel Full Tutorial (Excel Easy)

  • Power BI Step-by-Step (Microsoft Learn)

  • Zapier University – Automation Basics

5️⃣ Data Ethicist / AI Policy Analyst

Help keep AI fair, safe, and transparent. You write policies and audit systems for tech companies, governments, or think tanks.

What to Learn:

  • Bias in ML models

  • Data laws like GDPR and EU’s AI Act

  • Policy writing and communication

Free Resources:

✅ TL;DR

You don’t need to be a data scientist to make a big impact. These roles are legit, they matter, and you can start totally free today. Just pick one, dive in, and start leveling up.

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