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Data Skills

Turn data into answers: Python for analysis and charts, SQL with SQLite and PostgreSQL, and machine learning to make predictions — the core skills for data and reporting roles.

Beginner · 5 courses · 138 lessons · 36 h 31 min · Courses in order · Certificate on completion
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Python, charts and SQL

Turn data into answers: Python for analysis and charts, SQL with SQLite and PostgreSQL, and machine learning to make predictions — the core skills for data and reporting roles.

Free forever — like every pathway and course on Avro Academy: all lessons, quizzes, downloads and your certificates. Our promise

Who it's for

Anyone interested in data analyst, reporting or business intelligence roles, or who wants to do more than a spreadsheet can.

What you'll be able to do

  • Clean and analyse data with Python and pandas
  • Make clear charts and reports
  • Ask questions of data with SQL
  • Work with real databases
  • Build and test machine learning models

The courses

  1. Python Foundations: Your First Programs
  2. Python for Data: Clean, Analyse and Visualise
  3. SQLite in Practice: Track Your Spending
  4. PostgreSQL Foundations: Run the Corner Café Database
  5. Machine Learning Basics with Python

How it works

  • Join once, and track your progress across every course in one place, under My learning
  • Take the courses in order: each one opens when you finish the one before.
  • 5 required courses, about 36.5 hours in total — at your own pace
  • You get a certificate for each course, and a pathway certificate when you finish them all
  • Completely free

Courses in this pathway

Take these in order: each course opens when the required one before it is complete.

  1. Python Foundations: Your First Programs
    32 lessons · 6 h 40 min
    Not started
    Lessons (0 of 32 done)

    Module 1: Getting started

    • What Python is — and why learn it10 min
    • Coding in your browser with Google Colab15 min
    • Your first program: print, comments and maths15 min
    • Reading error messages (tracebacks)12 min
    • Module 1 quiz5 min

    Module 2: Values and variables

    • Variables12 min
    • Numbers and maths15 min
    • Strings and f-strings15 min
    • Input, booleans and converting types15 min
    • Module 2 quiz5 min

    Module 3: Making decisions

    • if, elif and else15 min
    • and, or, not12 min
    • Module 3 quiz5 min

    Module 4: Lists and loops

    • Lists15 min
    • Loops: for, range and while15 min
    • List comprehensions12 min
    • Module 4 quiz5 min

    Module 5: Functions

    • Writing functions18 min
    • Scope and building with functions12 min
    • Project: shift pay calculator18 min
    • Module 5 quiz5 min

    Module 6: Dictionaries and data

    • Dictionaries15 min
    • Lists of dictionaries: real data15 min
    • Module 6 quiz5 min

    Module 7: Files, errors and modules

    • Reading and writing files15 min
    • Handling errors with try and except12 min
    • Modules: using code others have written12 min
    • Module 7 quiz5 min

    Module 8: Projects and next steps

    • Project: workplace quiz game25 min
    • Project: pay and budget tracker25 min
    • Debugging, AI tools and next steps15 min
    • Module 8 and final quiz5 min
  2. Python for Data: Clean, Analyse and Visualise
    30 lessons · 6 h 11 min
    Opens when the course before it is complete
    Lessons (0 of 30 done)

    Module 1: Data with Python

    • What data work really is10 min
    • Colab for data: notebooks and uploading files12 min
    • Data with plain Python first15 min
    • Module 1 quiz5 min

    Module 2: pandas basics

    • DataFrames: loading CSV and Excel15 min
    • Exploring your data15 min
    • Selecting and filtering15 min
    • Sorting and new columns12 min
    • Module 2 quiz5 min

    Module 3: Cleaning messy data

    • Finding the problems12 min
    • Fixing types: prices, numbers and dates15 min
    • Text, missing values, duplicates — and saving20 min
    • Module 3 quiz5 min

    Module 4: Analysing

    • groupby: totals by category, item and staff15 min
    • Working with dates: months and weekdays15 min
    • Combining tables with merge15 min
    • Pivot tables12 min
    • Module 4 quiz5 min

    Module 5: Visualising

    • Bar and line charts15 min
    • Histograms and choosing the right chart12 min
    • Honest charts12 min
    • Module 5 quiz5 min

    Module 6: Automating everyday tasks

    • Combining many files at once15 min
    • Exporting reports to Excel and CSV12 min
    • Project: weekly roster hours report20 min
    • Module 6 quiz5 min

    Module 7: Capstone and next steps

    • Capstone: a year at Corner Café30 min
    • Real data: open datasets, privacy and ethics12 min
    • Next steps in data10 min
    • Module 7 and final quiz5 min
  3. SQLite in Practice: Track Your Spending
    20 lessons · 5 h 35 min
    Opens when the course before it is complete
    Lessons (0 of 20 done)

    Module 1: Meet SQLite

    • What SQLite is10 min
    • Install sqlite3 and DB Browser15 min
    • Your first database file20 min
    • Module 1 quiz5 min

    Module 2: Getting data in

    • Import a CSV file20 min
    • Clean it into a proper table25 min
    • Duplicates from overlapping files20 min
    • Module 2 quiz5 min

    Module 3: How SQLite is different

    • SQLite's flexible types20 min
    • Dates and times20 min
    • Keys and the foreign keys switch20 min
    • Module 3 quiz5 min

    Module 4: Answering money questions

    • Categorise the spending25 min
    • Monthly reports and the budget25 min
    • Views and sharing results20 min
    • Module 4 quiz5 min

    Module 5: Python and beyond

    • SQLite from Python25 min
    • Adding data safely from Python20 min
    • Backups, sharing and choosing a database25 min
    • Module 5 and final quiz5 min
  4. PostgreSQL Foundations: Run the Corner Café Database
    32 lessons · 9 h 15 min
    Opens when the course before it is complete
    Lessons (0 of 32 done)

    Module 1: Meet PostgreSQL

    • What a database is10 min
    • Install PostgreSQL20 min
    • psql and the café database20 min
    • Module 1 quiz5 min

    Module 2: Asking questions with SELECT

    • Your first queries with SELECT20 min
    • Filtering with WHERE25 min
    • Sorting and removing duplicates15 min
    • Module 2 quiz5 min

    Module 3: Summaries

    • Counting and totals20 min
    • GROUP BY and HAVING25 min
    • Dates, times and text25 min
    • Module 3 quiz5 min

    Module 4: Joins

    • Keys: how tables connect20 min
    • Joining tables25 min
    • LEFT JOIN and joining many tables25 min
    • Module 4 quiz5 min

    Module 5: Changing data

    • Adding rows with INSERT20 min
    • Changing and removing rows20 min
    • Transactions: your undo button20 min
    • Module 5 quiz5 min

    Module 6: Designing tables

    • Data types20 min
    • Creating tables with CREATE TABLE25 min
    • Changing tables with ALTER TABLE20 min
    • Module 6 quiz5 min

    Module 7: More powerful queries

    • Subqueries and WITH25 min
    • CASE and views20 min
    • Indexes and EXPLAIN20 min
    • Module 7 quiz5 min

    Module 8: Safe and useful

    • Users and permissions20 min
    • Backups, exports and other tools25 min
    • Capstone: the monthly report30 min
    • Module 8 and final quiz5 min
  5. Machine Learning Basics with Python
    24 lessons · 8 h 50 min
    Opens when the course before it is complete
    Lessons (0 of 24 done)

    Module 1: Meet machine learning

    • What machine learning is20 min
    • Set up your tools20 min
    • Your first model25 min
    • Module 1 quiz5 min

    Module 2: Preparing data

    • Explore the data first25 min
    • Features and labels25 min
    • Train and test25 min
    • Module 2 quiz5 min

    Module 3: Predicting numbers

    • Linear regression30 min
    • How good is the model?30 min
    • Decision trees and random forests35 min
    • Module 3 quiz5 min

    Module 4: Predicting categories

    • Will they come back?30 min
    • Accuracy isn't everything35 min
    • Reading reviews35 min
    • Module 4 quiz5 min

    Module 5: Images, groups and good habits

    • Recognising handwritten digits30 min
    • Finding groups of customers30 min
    • Cross-validation and pipelines30 min
    • Module 5 quiz5 min

    Module 6: Using models responsibly

    • Save and use your model30 min
    • Using machine learning responsibly25 min
    • Where to go next20 min
    • Module 6 and final quiz5 min