Is Data Science a Trending Career Option in Singapore?

The continual digital transformation of the world has made data science and machine learning the buzzwords of this decade. With businesses generating enormous amounts of information every year, science can help them analyse this for valuable insights.

Singapore is one of the most significant technological and business hubs in Asia, and therefore, it’s witnessing the rapid growth of this industry. Read on if you are interested in Data Science courses in Singapore and want to learn more about the future of data science in the country.

The career scope of Data Science qualifications in Singapore

Singapore’s tremendous growth potential within technology can be seen through the steady rise of jobs in the data science and machine learning industries. The country serves as a hub for many innovative start-ups and technological giants dabbling in this area.

A recent report by LinkedIn titled the ‘2020 Emerging Jobs Report Singapore’ found that data scientist roles are among the top five positions in the country. Another LinkedIn survey reported a 17x increase in the number of these jobs in the country and the rest of the world between 2013 - 2017. Both reports demonstrate a bright data science future scope in Singapore.

Most professionals in this field are hired by the IT sector, banks, student recruitment agencies and other financial institutions. You can also find great positions in the healthcare sector, electronics and real estate.

The various career prospects of Data Science programmes

Advanced degrees within this field can help you break into this highly competitive industry in Singapore. Below, we’ve outlined some exciting data science career paths alongside their salaries.

1. Machine learning specialists

Machine learning specialists are in charge of creating software solutions and data funnels for analytical issues. The role requires extensive knowledge of big data and machine learning. They also run tests and experiments to monitor their systems’ performance and functionality.

Payscale.com reports that the annual salary for machine learning specialists and engineers is around S$74,250.

2. Data scientists

Data scientists are the foot soldiers of the analytics industry. They sort vast amounts of unsegmented data and organise it into actionable chunks for their employers. They find definite patterns within it to help senior management make profitable business decisions. The role is technical and may require an additional background in computer science.

According to Payscale.com, data scientists’ salaries in Singapore are approximately S$71,117.

3. Data architects

These experts are responsible for ensuring that a business’ data solutions and analytics applications are long-lasting, accurate and useful across multiple platforms. They create new database systems and improve the functionality and performance of existing ones. They also work with administrators and analysts to improve analysis and prediction models.

This is a well-paying role with Payscale.com reporting that the annual average salary is around S$110,553.

4. Applications architects

These professionals work with data architects to track the performance and behaviour of their designs. They focus on improving them as well as their architecture and add additional elements to their components such as infrastructure and a user interface.

According to Payscale.com, someone working in this field in Singapore can expect to earn around S$49,500 annually.

5. Business intelligence developers

Business intelligence (BI) developers are data architects hired by financial organisations to build analytical tools. They design new BI tools and applications which help customers understand how to use company products. They also develop data-savvy strategies to improve the analytical procedures and methods employed by the company.

Payscale.com reports that the average annual salary for BI developers in Singapore is approximately S$60,632.

Other than these positions, you can embark upon a successful career as a data analyst, data engineer, business intelligence analyst or a marketing analyst.

The London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) in Singapore offers a Diploma in Data Analytics for those interested in a management or analytics career. You’ll become familiar with big data organisation and its applications across different industries. You’ll also gain a comprehensive view of other management aspects such as cloud computing and visualisation.

Click here to learn more about the programme outcomes and entry requirements of this diploma at LSBF in Singapore.