Are you a fresh graduate or a young professional looking to carve out a career in an emerging field with tremendous growth potential? Look no further than the world of machine learning.
In India, the demand for machine learning engineers has skyrocketed in recent years, with various industries seeking professionals who can develop intelligent algorithms that help improve business outcomes.
This guide is designed to help you become a machine learning engineer by providing valuable insights on education and certification requirements, job prospects and skills valued by recruiters. Read on to kickstart your career as a Machine Learning Engineer.
What is Machine Learning?
Machine learning is a subfield of artificial intelligence that uses statistical algorithms to let computer systems learn and improve automatically without being explicitly programmed. The goal of machine learning is for these systems to make accurate predictions or decisions based on patterns in the data.
Career Growth of Machine Learning Engineers
The demand for machine learning engineers is on the rise in India, thanks to industries such as healthcare, finance, e-commerce, gaming, and social media that require their expertise.
As a machine learning engineer, your primary role would be to build and develop systems that can learn from data. You'll work on designing algorithms that can analyse and interpret complex data sets and then use those insights to create intelligent systems that can automate processes.
Role of machine learning engineers in different industries
Machine learning engineers are required across various sectors, including agriculture, banking and finance, e-commerce, gaming, and social media.
- In healthcare, machine learning is used for diagnostic purposes; it helps doctors detect diseases earlier, which leads to better outcomes.
- Financial institutions use machine learning algorithms to analyse large volumes of financial data to identify patterns and trends while also detecting fraud.
- In the e-commerce industry, machine learning techniques are used for product recommendations or personalization of content based on user behaviour.
Companies like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), IBM Global Business Services (GBS), and Flipkart are some of the top companies hiring aspiring machine learning engineers.
Future prospects
The future looks bright for machine learning engineers in India, as there will be an increasing demand for those who can develop intelligent algorithms in emerging technologies such as robotics engineering, computer vision, natural language processing, and speech recognition.
By 2024, India is expected to become one of the biggest markets for AI technologies.
Education Options
To become a successful machine learning engineer, you need an educational background in computer science or mathematics with programming skills in Python, R, or Java.
Several courses are available at both the graduate and postgraduate levels to pursue.
- Graduate Degrees: Pursuing a bachelor's degree in computer science or engineering provides fundamental knowledge about programming languages, algorithms, and data structures, which are essential for building machine learning models.
- Postgraduate Degrees: A Master's degree in Data Science, Business Analytics, Computer Science, or Artificial Intelligence provides expertise on how to use statistical methods for analysing data, coupled with domain knowledge from industries such as healthcare or finance.
Certifications and Upskilling Opportunities
To stay ahead in today's competitive job market, it's important to upskill yourself continuously. There are many certification courses available online that provide you with hands-on experience solving real-life problems using machine learning concepts.
- Certification Courses: Online certification courses provide hands-on experience in building real-time machine learning projects using cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, and GCP, along with several popular ML libraries such as TensorFlow, Keras, and PyTorch.
- Upskilling Options: Upskilling programmes are designed for professionals who want to upgrade their existing skills in machine learning. Many companies also offer upskilling programmes as part of their employee development initiatives.
Salary Structure for Machine Learning Engineers
The salary of a machine learning engineer is very attractive in India, and it varies based on several factors.
According to payscale.com, the average salary of an entry-level machine learning engineer in India is around ₹8,00,000 per annum. As you gain more experience in the field, your salary can increase up to ₹30,00,000 per year. The trend also shows that salaries have been increasing steadily over the years.
Several factors can influence a machine learning engineer's salary, including educational qualifications, job location, experience level, and industry specialisation.
Get Started on Your Journey as a Machine Learning Engineer
In conclusion, becoming a machine learning engineer can be an exciting and lucrative career choice for you. With the right education, certification, and upskilling opportunities, you can build a strong foundation to succeed as a machine learning engineer in India.
At WIZR, we offer financing for career-focused upskilling and certification programmes to help you become a successful machine learning engineer.
FAQs
1. What is the easiest way to get a job in machine learning?
Building a strong foundation in computer science or programming skills and pursuing relevant courses or certifications are the best ways to start your career as a machine learning engineer. Participating in open source projects, internships, or undertaking real-time projects can also help improve your profile.
2. Who earns more: a machine learning engineer or a data engineer?
Machine learning engineers tend to earn more than data engineers, but it also depends on the industry and level of experience.
3. Which industries hire grip computing professionals?
Industries such as healthcare, finance, e-commerce, manufacturing, and logistics are some of the sectors that require machine learning engineering professionals.
4. Is a degree mandatory to pursue machine learning?
A degree is not mandatory, but having an educational background in computer science or mathematics helps you grasp the fundamentals better, making it easier for you to build complex models.
5. Are remote jobs available for machine learning engineers?
Yes, remote jobs are available at several companies across India that hire machine learning engineers for their core product development teams.
