At Billennium, we focus on continuous development. One example of that is proprietary training programs, aimed at people who want to gain and expand experience in the areas of Big Data, Data Science or MLOps. Thanks to this approach, we build expert teams with theoretical knowledge and practical skills at the highest level.
Academies are a chance for development
The idea to create the Academy was born in 2017, when the first Big Data training program was created.
From the very beginning, we wanted to develop a training formula that would allow not only learning specific Big Data technologies, but also show more broadly what this world looks like in practice. Our Academy is very intense and full of different challenges.
We avoid “routine”, ready-made data sets, widely used in popular courses, and the practical design is much more commercial when it comes to the entire organisation. For the training to be effective, it needs people with specific skills and approaches.
Usually, we require Java or Python as a base, some experience with data processing is welcome, but what is key is the attitude – initiative, interest in this field, active search for solutions to current problems and the ability to work as part of a team.Jan Czuma Big Data Engineer & Competence Center Manager – Big Data & AI Unit
So far, the Academy has trained over a dozen people who have proven themselves in projects for clients and can now train other interns by sharing their knowledge with them.
I participated in the 2nd edition of the Big Data Academy in 2019. What I liked was the complexity of the Big Data subject matter – I had no experience in this field before starting my internship.
Attending the Academy allowed me to gain skills that I use every day at work, and more importantly, to continue my career as a programmer in commercial projects.
The internship has exceeded my wildest expectations. It was well-organised and consistent. What I appreciate most is the involvement of the lecturers in the learning process.Dawid Sauermann Big Data Developer
Big Data Academy and Data Science Academy
We give people who have little or no experience a chance to expand their theoretical knowledge gained during their studies and use it in practice. The training is intensive and lasts from 1 to 2 months. In the first two weeks, we focus on introducing the subject through numerous lectures and exercises to familiarize trainees with the subject matter and technologies used.
After that, they work together on a project that gives them a glimpse into the daily work environment. Each training participant has an assigned mentor, a person who already has experience, to supervise and support his development. During the course of the project there are regular meetings and updates. Finally, the trainees present the results of their work.
One project that have been completed so far as part of the Big Data Academy was the analysis and development of an application for processing tweets regarding the situation related to COVID-19.
Our interns are taken seriously from the very beginning. We involve them in all activities of the team as full members. We place great emphasis on development and constant improvement of competences, which is why we want these people to be involved and be willing to grow.
Our internal initiatives give the entire team the opportunity to constantly learn – we run a technology newsletter and spend time studying new technologies, thanks to which we are up to date on topics related to the areas of our work.Maciej Buczek Team Leader – Big Data & AI Unit
MLOps Academy
MLOps is a new field on the market that is still developing, therefore, in order to meet the needs of our clients we have created a place where people with DevOps or ML experience can develop in this new area – MLOps. We wrote about it in more detail in the previous article, which we invite you to read – ML on a large scale – how to become MLOps.
As in the case of the Big Data and Data Science Academy, we provide theoretical and practical training, which we always tailor to individual needs. We try to create a program that best suits the needs of a specific person, on one hand, and the first commercial project on the other.
We are looking for people to join our team who primarily have basic knowledge in the area of DevOps or ML and a willingness to develop further.Krystian Kozieł Team Leader – MLOps Unit
The Academy focuses on a number of topics that someone who wants to work in the area of MLOps should know. Each theoretical module is assigned a specific task, thanks to which it is possible to analyse and implement MLOps activities step by step – from simple ones to more advanced. After completing the Academy, in addition to their professional work, those interested have the opportunity to jointly work on creating an original open source tool for ML monitoring.
I was the first student at MLOps Academy. I joined the program this past February and a month later I started working for a client. Even though everything took place in a relatively short time, my participation in the Academy gave me an important foundation to start my real project.
Not only was I better professionally prepared, but I also developed a passion for MLOps, which until recently was something completely new to me. What I most appreciated was how the lessons were tailored to what I was currently working with on a daily basis (API, Bash, Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, Kubeflow, Python).
It is worth mentioning that my feedback is being considered and incorporated into the Academy’s program.
For example, while working with a client, I noticed that we often use the GitLab CICD environment, so with a small suggestion from me, future students can now focus more specifically on this tool. Finally, I would like to add that, even though we are still a small, remote team, scattered across various projects, we still stick together.
We regularly share knowledge, answer our own questions, or take part in remote meetings “over coffee” to just chat with each other.participant of the MLOps Academy
The academies are an opportunity for development not only for participants and lecturers, but also for Billennium as a whole. As a result, our team of specialists in various fields is constantly growing. Academies in the areas of Big Data, Data Science and MLOps are launched periodically.
We are just starting the next edition of the Big Data training. If you want to join our Squad, please contact us or follow current job offers.
