SU opens applications for Data Science and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp

man holding a laptop with data displaying on an overhead projector.

Stellenbosch University’s Techpreneurship Centre’s (SUTPC) second Data Science and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp has opened for applications.File picture: Kacper Pempel

Published Jun 4, 2021

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Stellenbosch University’s Techpreneurship Centre’s (SUTPC) second Data Science and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp has opened applications for individuals who would like to gain in-depth programming skills in data science and machine learning.

The SU TPC is a new data science and entrepreneurial development upskilling initiative developed by the SU LaunchLab, the University’s technology and entrepreneurship incubator, in collaboration with the SU School for Data Science and Computational Thinking.

The Centre offers courses that bridge the gap between technology and entrepreneurship by providing candidates with both in-depth programming skills in data science and machine learning and how to use these skills in the industry.

According to the university, 90% of the first session’s participants landed interviews with partner companies following the four week, full-time immersive Bootcamp in February..

The second session will be hosted during the July-August winter holiday.

The bootcamp will have experts from the SU LaunchLab and SU School for Data Science and Computational Thinking who will cover a range of topics such as machine learning techniques, algorithms and models, data exploration and analysis in Python, and soft skills such as SCRUM, Agile and Kanban.

SU TPC Coordinator Daniel Maloba said the programme is open to anyone from all academic levels and backgrounds to apply, and that multidisciplinary applicants and backgrounds are very much encouraged.

“The course is coding-intensive; therefore, we recommend that candidates understand programming principles, but it does not matter if you have no specific programming experience,” said Maloba.

One of the participants of the first programme, Tanya Meyer, said the programme was instrumental in fast-tracking progress for her MEng research project in Machine Learning and Data Science.

“It skyrocketed my Python programming skills set whilst developing my previously non-existent, soft tech skills with lots of guest speaker talks, entrepreneurship sessions and colleague collaboration.”

Applications opened on May 3 and will close on June 18. Applicants are admitted on a rolling basis, so interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.