Udacity Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree Review
Udacity has teamed up with Microsoft to launch the Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree program, the latest addition to their School of Artificial Intelligence courses. This launch is in line with Udacity’s mission to equip learners with skills they need to stay relevant in the ever-evolving tech-centric workplace.
The Udacity Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree is designed to strengthen the learners’ Machine Learning skills, providing them with real-world experience in training, validating, and evaluating Machine Learning models in the Microsoft Azure platform. It also helps prepare learners for Microsoft’s DP-100 Exam, like designing and implementing Data Science Solution on the Azure platform. Learners will use Azure ML to build real-world models and evaluate their performance.
What is Azure Machine Learning?
Azure Machine Learning (AML) is an enterprise-focused machine learning service for building and deploying models. Using Azure Machine Learning, ML engineers and data scientists are able to fast-track the end-to-end machine learning lifecycle of building, training, and deploying Machine Learning models. Learners who are enrolled in Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree program are able to utilize hands-on Microsoft Azure Labs to realize the program’s learning objectives.
What Machine Learning Engineer jobs are available for successful graduates of ML Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree?
Data Scientist using cloud
Thanks to the ever-growing pile of Big Data, the cloud has become the ultimate destination for businesses seeking to store and access data. As such, understanding the functioning of the cloud is crucial for a Data Scientist. Udacity ML Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree equips you with the skills necessary to work with a wide range of data (structured, semi-structured, and unstructured), analytics tools, and programming languages you need to be the go-to data scientist.
Machine Learning Engineer
There is no doubt that Machine Learning Engineer is one of the most sought after roles in the Data Science domain. These professionals are mainly responsible for designing and implementing Machine Learning algorithms using various programming languages in ML libraries. This Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree teaches you how to process and analyze datasets to extract and uncover meaningful insights for decision making purposes.
Data Engineer
A Data Engineer develops, constructs, tests, and maintains the organization’s crucial data architectures, including databases as well as large-scale data processing systems. This professional works with raw data that may or may not be validated, and hence, may contain both machine and human errors. The Udacity Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree introduces learners to various tools and programming languages they need to master to enhance data quality, efficiency, and reliability.
Deep Learning Engineer
Deep Learning Engineers are basically Machine Learning experts who specialize in Deep Learning platforms. They specialize in developing intelligent programming systems/models that mimic the human brain’s function. This Nanodegree program introduces learners to the basics of neural networks for building machines that can operate on their own without human intervention.
DevOps Engineer
DevOps Engineers are IT experts who specialize in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). They work in partnership with Software Developers and Operations teams to work on and oversee code releases. This Udacity ML Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree provides you with an excellent understanding of automation tools necessary for building digital pipelines (CI/CD pipelines). You will learn how to deploy product updates, diagnose production issues, and implement the necessary integrations that meet consumer needs.
Udacity Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure: Is it worth it?
Azure is becoming increasingly becoming a popular platform for cloud-based development, with the ability to scale up and support advanced machine learning tactics. In this Nanodegree program, learners get to advance their skills by building and developing sophisticated ML solutions using popular open-source tools and frameworks, all the while gaining practical experience running complex ML tasks within the Azure Labs that are accessible in the Udacity virtual classroom environment.
About Udacity
Udacity is an online learning platform that was founded in 2012 by two Sanford professors with the goal of providing tech courses at a fraction of the traditional classroom learning. For over a decade, Udacity has collaborated with major corporations like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Uber, and other multinationals to create industry-centered courses that prepare learners for the job market within the shortest time possible. Read more about Udacity here.
Why you should sign up for Udacity Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree?
Udacity Nanodegree programs are quite popular thanks to their job-centric nature. These Nanodegree programs are developed in collaboration with major corporations and taught by highly experienced industry experts. Here is what you get when you sign up with any Udacity Nanodegree program:
Personal mentorship
Every one of Udacity’s learners is assigned a personal mentor to ensure that you have a seamless learning experience. These mentors are around to cheer you on and answer any questions you might have while pursuing your Nanodegree program.
Flexible learning
All Udacity Nanodegree programs are 100 percent online. This means that you can sign up into your portal and learn anytime from any location. Thus, you are free to set a learning schedule that fits into your family and work obligations. Just be sure not to miss your project and assignment due dates.
A learning community
Through the Udacity learner forum, you can interact with fellow learners, build networks, and get social. Getting to meet your future peers is definitely a plus.
Career services
Udacity career services include a cleanup of your resume, a mock interview to help acquaint you with what to expect during the actual interview, as well as customization of your LinkedIn profile. All these are geared towards helping you land a role as soon as you complete your program.
Real hands-on projects
All Udacity Nanodegree programs come with carefully developed real-world projects to help you solidify your skills. These projects are designed to mimic real-industry challenges, helping you acquire useful skills from the onset.
World-class instructors
Finally, each Nanodegree program is facilitated by A-list instructors. Udacity works with instructors with impeccable educational and professional experience, offering learners a great opportunity to learn from the best.
So how do you know if this Udacity Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree program is for you?
The ML Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree has been designed for professionals who are interested in building and deploying machine learning products or applications. This Nanodegree program is a great fit for:
- Data scientists who are looking to expand their knowledge and application of machine learning techniques
- Software developers who are seeking to add machine learning concepts into their skillset, or use Microsoft Azure for Machine Learning model development.
- Professionals who understand machine learning foundations and are looking to deepen their knowledge of and experience with practical Machine Learning skills.
Who are Udacity Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree instructors?
As already mentioned, Udacity takes the decision to hire skilled tutors seriously. For the Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree, here are the facilitators:
Noah Gift
Noah specializes in ML and AI. He is a successfully author of several publications, including the bestseller Python for DevOps. He consults and teaches at top universities around the country.
Alfredo Deza
Alfredo is a software engineer and an open-source developer. He has worked with organizations to help them rebuild from the ground up, building and deploying complex infrastructures that give them a competitive edge.
Erick Galinkin
Erick is a hacker with a passion for helping companies ramp up their security practices while implementing top cybersecurity methods in their workflows. He is also a researcher for the Montreal AI Ethics Institute where he focuses on how ethics apply to DevOps.
Sohan Chatterjee
Sohan is a software innovator at Intel. He has also worked on some very high tech topics like Edge computing and IoT Hardware. His educational and industry experiences make him an excellent candidate to introduce some of the more advanced topics learners will find in this Nanodegree program, breaking them down with easy to understand explanations and examples.
What are the Udacity Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree course prerequisites?
Anyone can sign up for this Nanodegree program regardless of your experience with technology. However, Udacity suggests that learners should have the following before signing up for the program:
- Experience programming with Python
- Working knowledge of statistical methods and algebra
- Some work with machine learning concepts
- An understanding of data distributions
- A basic-level understanding of Azure
If you read through these and feel like this is not the right program for you at the moment, fret not. You can still get on the path to becoming a machine learning engineer for Microsoft Azure by starting off with Introduction to Machine Learning Nanodegree, where you will find all the information mentioned above to get started.
Related: 100+ FREE Udacity Courses That You Can Pursue At Home Your Convenience
Udacity Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree program breakdown
This ML Engineer for Microsoft Azure is designed to provide learners with the skills necessary for building and deploying sophisticated Machine Learning solutions using today’s advanced tools. At the end of the program, learners will have mastered how to use Azure, learning everything there is about this powerful platform.
Topic 1: Using Azure Machine Learning
In this introductory topic, you will learn about how Azure can help take business operations to the next level. You will learn how to configure machine learning pipelines on Azure and manage them from a single easy to use platform.
Project 1: Optimizing a Machine Learning Pipeline
One of the most important tasks you will be able to accomplish with knowledge from this topic is to compare and contrast solutions for organizations. This gives them options, something they are all looking for. In this project, you will work with a machine learning pipeline, build and test it to find the optimal hyperparameters. You will then analyze your findings, determine the best and cost-effective options, and providing your clients with options to choose from.
Topic 2: Machine Learning Operations
A lot of work goes into developing complex systems. In this topic, you will see how to operationalize machine learning. You will get a glimpse of how to identify the best targets and deploy models. You will also learn how to solve problems before pushing them off into deployment to ensure that everything runs smoothly from start to finish.
Project 2: Operationalizing Machine Learning
In this second project, you will take what you have learned in the first two topics and use it to train a model with AutoML before pushing it to production. You will apply your knowledge of Azure to configure cloud-based options that will help you deploy and demonstrate your efforts to your client.
Capstone Project: Training and Deploying a Machine Learning Model in Azure
This Machine Learning Engineer for the Microsoft Azure Nanodegree program ends with a capstone project, setting you free to work with the Azure platform all on your own. You will get to select your preferred model and data. After this, you will have to work from start to end to upload data, set parameters, and create a model. You will need to train two models for your project, comparing and contrasting them at the end to find the best performing method.
How long does this Udacity Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree take?
Ideally, this program consists of two sections and a capstone project. While this may not seem like much, you will definitely need some time in between to study up the concepts so you can master the concepts and complete your capstone project successfully. You can take all the time you need for this, keeping in mind that you have deadlines within which to submit your projects.
That said, you can successfully complete this Nanodegree within three months if you dedicate 5 -10 hours per week to study. Yes, three months is all you need to be on the path to become a machine learning engineer.
How much does Udacity Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree program cost?
The total cost depends on the amount of time you take to complete this program. Learners have two options to choose from: the “pay as you go,” and the monthly access plans. The pay as you go plan costs USD 1,017 to complete the course while the monthly plan costs USD 399 for every month of access.
What learners say about this ML Engineer for Microsoft Azure program.
Because this is a new Nanodegree program, it does not have reviews yet. However, considering Udacity’s track record, it is no brainer understanding why this online learning platform has earned a name for itself over the years. Here is what previous learners have to say about their experience with Udacity:
“I love its interface, it is simple and very easy to use, besides the platform itself is very well developed, I have never had any problem with the tools it makes available to me. The audio quality and video resolution offered by the classes are amazing, the quality is perfect. I also like that you find many free courses, that’s how I started and it was one of the best things that have happened to me.” – Andrea D.
“Udacity is a great platform in essence, because it has a very friendly and easy to understand interface, plus it’s super fast. The quality of the classes is much higher, because the resolution of the video is excellent and the audio quality is of another level, really at a technical level it is a very well developed platform that offers you a quality education.” – James M.
“Udacity is one of the best e-learning platforms currently, it has got a wide variety of courses from different fields and a group of topics, from video lectures to articles, in-modules quizzes, peer-graded, rigorous and competitive projects. The course materials and contents are super helpful and up to the mark, allowing the learners to understand and work on each and every topic both theoretically and practically via the projects.” – Mohammed M.
What is Machine Learning Engineer salary?
The average machine learning salary far outpaced other jobs at $144,085. And with more and more businesses adopting ML techniques and solutions, the demand for ML experts is expected to grow tremendously in the coming years. You could easily have a job waiting for you right after the successful completion of this ML Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree.
Udacity Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree review: Final thoughts
The career prospects in Machine Learning and cloud computing are highly promising. These fields are ever-evolving with new breakthroughs being made on a daily basis. The rapid growth and adoption of machine learning solutions are further creating a huge demand for experts with ML skills. If you are interested in earning or advancing, your skills in machine learning, then consider signing up for Udacity Machine Learning Engineer for Microsoft Azure Nanodegree program today.
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