How to Become a Data Analyst

Data analysts collect, clean and study data to help businesses make better decisions. The role needs both technical skills and clear communication.

Begin with Excel: formulas, lookups, pivot tables and charts. Then learn SQL so you can pull data directly from databases.

Add a visualisation tool such as Power BI to build dashboards, and learn basic statistics — averages, distributions and correlation — so you can explain what the numbers mean.

Python with the Pandas library is a strong next step for cleaning larger datasets and automating repeated analysis.

Most importantly, build a portfolio. Pick a public dataset, ask a clear business question, build a dashboard and write a short summary of your findings. Two or three well-explained projects are more convincing than many copied ones.