Upskilling from MS SQL/BI dev - what to focus on?

[magicbuttons]

Sql Server R Services would seem a natural way to progress into data science / predictive analytics type work.

I like the sound of that, machine learning seems to have a good future and maybe it would be helpful for IoT in the next few years. I've got about 20 years of work left in me (unless I win the lottery, or die) so something along these lines looks good. Thanks.

[l35kee]

That's gonna help get through an agent

You are probably right it isn't a blanket statement but in an industry where we are selling our skills it's pretty important to consider.

I'd imagine a clueless agent will see the buzzword and send it off, the challenge is getting an interview with client who has Miss X with nn years experience, and Mr Y with <n years experience. I know from personal experience I didn't have time to interview the latter, even though they could have been a better option.

[Lance]

rather than try to get into areas that lots of others already how about enhancing what you do by adding some of the new products to the skills you already have.

EG. PowerBI in Office 365, Azure SQL (already mentioned but pay attention to release notes), Azure table storage (like SQL but without the SQL server).

There are likely to be similar AWS offerings but I don't know AWS products.

[theroyale]

I'm around £400 at the moment and I'd like to at least match that in my next contract with a view to moving up the scale with experience.



That might be a good shout, thanks.

Sql Server R Services would seem a natural way to progress into data science / predictive analytics type work.

[magicbuttons]

What range of rates are you getting with your current skillset, and what kind of rates would you like to be getting from a new skillset?

I'm around £400 at the moment and I'd like to at least match that in my next contract with a view to moving up the scale with experience.

Hadoop and big data?

That might be a good shout, thanks.

[BrilloPad]

Hadoop and big data?

http://forums.contractoruk.com/techn...vironment.html

[pauldee]

Hadoop and big data?

[northernladuk]

Also, I'm sure there will be the typical "there are many more contractors with the xx years xp of the new skillset so forget it" comments, I don't tend to agree with those. Soft skills play a massive part.

That's gonna help get through an agent

You are probably right it isn't a blanket statement but in an industry where we are selling our skills it's pretty important to consider.

[BrilloPad]

Azure data warehousing is fun. In December, Microsoft introduced Azure SSIS to link Blob and Azure. However, data warehousing is the future.

Oh I remember the day I came in and found nothing would work. MS changed something in DW and it was all stuffed. Happy times....

[l35kee]

What range of rates are you getting with your current skillset, and what kind of rates would you like to be getting from a new skillset?

Also, I'm sure there will be the typical "there are many more contractors with the xx years xp of the new skillset so forget it" comments, I don't tend to agree with those. Soft skills play a massive part.

[magicbuttons]

I've been contracting in SQL Server based BI (db design/dev/ETL/reporting) for 7 years, it feels like I've hit the ceiling and it's time to move out of my comfort zone and use my existing skills as a basis for something else, ideally a bit more lucrative, but I'm struggling to decide what. While I've picked up the occasional new skillset along the way, I'll need to train myself up first whatever I choose, so I'm hoping for some advice on which way to go.

I'm open to learning more technical skills - e.g. I know a bit of C# and VB from SSIS script tasks but not enough to specialise in, or maybe go into data architecture, or focus on learning more about the cloud (my experience is mostly on-premise), or something else I haven't thought of yet... but I don't fancy going into PM or anything "Agile" related.

Ideally I'd like to find something future-proof that my skills are already mainly transferrable to... has anyone here attempted anything similar or have any suggestions?