This is the third and final part of this post series that explains how I began studying data science and am now endeavoring to assemble a professional portfolio.
Blog Series Recap
Part 00 of this series is linked here.
Part 01 of this series is linked here.
Making the Decision for the Next Big Step
At the beginning of 2026, my data-science efforts were coming to a head. I felt that my progress in this field was too slow. Occasionally, I was spending more time just managing my ever-growing collection of data-science-related e-books than I was on learning the content itself.
My interest in data science is too strong to allow it to be just a side hobby. I have enough insight into this field to see how proper data-driven work leads to effective outcomes.
In my mind, I can see myself using data science, in combination with my skills as a teacher, to help students attain a level of educational thoroughness and completeness that I otherwise cannot see myself achieving as a teacher.
Furthermore, I wish to use data science as a storyteller to connect with anyone who shares similar interests. What kind of interactive and data-driven projects can I create with people who visit my website? What stories can I tell with data?
There is yet another reality that I face: teaching is not a lucrative career field. It’s sad to say it, but the rumors are true. The paychecks really don’t cover the full needs of a household.
Really, a teacher’s paycheck seems to be sufficient only if it’s used as a part of a dual-income household. In my case, I am the sole provider for my household, so I have to find a way to earn extra cash.
Buying e-books that I only skimmed for general content, and occasionally building side projects, wasn’t enough to satisfy my curiosity and necessity. How would I make my next dedicated push?
Boot Camp vs Master’s Degree
To achieve this push, I needed to connect with a guided data-science track that would leave me, in the end, with a professional network and in possession of my own data-science portfolio.
The two paths forward seemed to be to either enroll in what’s called a “boot camp” or pursue another full master’s degree.
Considering Another Master’s Degree
The first temptation was to pursue another full master’s degree, either in statistics or data science.
Pro’s
Immediately Applicable to Current Field
A master’s degree in statistics would immediately allow me to be a certified teacher in any mathematics-related position at FNSBSD. That makes the investment relevant and useful, no matter the outcome.
Recognition
The nice thing about this route would be that it could open up doors, should I go to apply for a full-time data-science position.
For example, I might be able to combine my passions for teaching and data science by becoming a consultant in the field of Educational Technology (EdTech). My experience in the classroom and a familiarity with data could be a useful combination for potential employers. A master’s degree listed on my resume would be beneficial in this capacity.
Completeness
A master’s degree could (perhaps) be a thorough and complete way to become a data scientist. Depending on the program, there could be a multi-year guided process that would leave me with a skill set that would be more developed and thorough than the alternative route (the boot camp).
Network
A master’s degree from an accredited university often allows the alumnus access to a network of professionals and employers. There might even be think-tanks or startup-accelerators that could be valuable connections.
Con’s
Financially Taxing
On the other hand, a master’s degree is a huge commitment, and I have children for whom I am providing.
A dedicated program would likely require two to three years, during which time I would be incurring massive costs. There are tuition expenses and — if I were to study full-time — I would have to continue providing for my household.
Deficits would have to be covered by student loans. This is highly undesirable, and by itself, makes this pathway a last-resort type of option.
Possibly Overkill
Another issue is that, from what I hear from working professionals, the degree really only gets you in the door. Once you have a body of work assembled, people are more interested in your portfolio and immediately demonstrable skill sets than they are in your pedigree.
Considering the Alternative: a Boot Camp
A “boot camp” in the tech field is a newer phenomenon. The term comes from the idea of an army boot camp, where soon-to-be-soldiers undergo a hard focus on personal change and skill building in a short amount of time.
In the tech world, there are boot camps that target people who already have a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field (such as myself). These boot camps use that bachelor’s degree as a starting point, and then give the students the needed courses to help them prepare for some type of industry-field switch or upgrade.
Pro’s
Commitment
One good thing about a data-science focused boot camp is that the commitment strikes an effective balance.
Students are expected to spend a significant amount of time each week (perhaps twenty hours) on their studies. This can be enough to trigger the necessary mental growth, but it’s not so much that the student cannot also hold down a full-time job.
If you’re working full-time while also pursuing a boot camp, this puts you in a position where you can find yourself working sixty to eighty hours a week. Naturally, this type of work schedule is challenging long-term (especially if you have a family).
The good news here is that a boot camp only lasts for a period of a few months — anywhere from three to six. In some cases, this can be much more manageable than pursuing a two to three-year master’s degree.
Affordable Cost
A boot camp can be much more financially obtainable. Instead of incurring a five-figure student loan, you can pay a one-time hefty fee – perhaps even as a one-time cash payment.
The cost can still be considerable, ranging anywhere from $5000 to $15,000. However, that’s nothing compared to the costs for a master’s degree, which can often be $35,000 for tuition alone.
Con’s
Lack of Recognition
A primary downside to the boot camp is that the certificate’s recognition will be limited. Boot-camp institutions are not nationally accredited.
In my case, a data-science boot-camp certificate wouldn’t enable me to be a certified mathematics or computer-science teacher at a public school. This is a disappointment, as a boot camp comprises a massive amount of effort and resources spent, and it’s disappointing to not be able to utilize that immediately within my existing field.
Less Thorough
A student really can grow only so far and so fast. Even if you’re working hard for six months, you’re just not going to walk out of the program at the same point as a master’s degree student who works with the same intensity for a period of two to three years.
Not as Helpful for Finding Certain Full-Time Jobs
If you go to a job board and look for machine-learning or data-science related positions, you are unlikely to find any jobs that state openly that they are willing to take a boot-camp certificate in lieu of an actual mathematics, computer-science, or engineering degree.
An employer overlooking the lack of a data-science related degree would have to be an exception to the norm.
Boot camps get around this by encouraging (and even requiring) that students commit to relocate to tech-job centers, such as San Francisco or New York City. By this means, geographical proximity can overcome the lack of an accredited degree.
Making My Decision
These options weren’t something that I studied only for a few weeks, or even a few months. In actuality, I’ve been watching and considering these options for a few years.
In January, having made the decision that I needed to pull the trigger in one fashion or another, I spent some time talking to people in the industry. After consulting with a few professionals, I made my decision: it’s the boot camp for me.
Boot Camp, Baby
The best course of action for me, at this time, was to go for the low-hanging fruit by enrolling in a boot camp. This route was immediately financially obtainable and could be completed in less time than it would take to even complete the prerequisite courses necessary to pursue a master’s degree.
I enrolled in Springboard Academy’s Data Science Career Track, with my start date in February 2026 and my expected end date set for August 8th, 2026.
The Primary Notable Drawback
While this route is proving to be the best immediate route, it’s not perfect in my scenario.
The biggest issue is that, in the event that I do decide to pursue an data-science job full-time, such as in EdTech, I have a geographical issue. By nature of the custody-requirements for my children, I am not leaving Fairbanks, AK.
In the event that I do pursue either contract or even full-time work with another employer, I have some options available. I can offer remote services, and I might be able to occasionally visit my employer’s headquarters when my children are with their mother (which is 50% of the time).
Since I’m planning on staying employed with FNSBSD for the foreseeable future, and my immediate aim is only for freelance or contract work, and even creative data-driven storytelling, this issue isn’t a deal-breaker.
Where Things Go From Here
My purpose in putting together this blog series was to help my friends and readers understand and make connections to the upcoming material on my blog.
My work here will begin to show a lot of technical and data-science related content.
My hope is to combine my professional passions of visual design, written storytelling, data science, and even teaching. Portfolio pieces are currently in the works.
How Does This Relate to Music
Readers of my blog know that I am working to revive my adolescent passion for music (I was a saxophonist) by learning to sing and play the guitar.
My musical interests are personal and not intended as a means of obtaining income for my family.
Singing, playing the guitar, and putting together some of my creative projects are something I can only do in my spare moments, so my time right now is very limited.
I’ll post more on these topics when I can.
Artificial Intelligence Transparency Report
No artificial intelligence was used for the writing of this blog post.
How You Can Help
I need your help to become established as a teacher and storyteller.
Here is a link to a blog post that describes how a supportive reader can help me in my quest.
In short, you can…
Buy a copy of my children’s novella, Westly: A Spider’s Tale
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