“Why study abroad when you can get the same quality education in India?” Madhuprasad Shetty, Executive Program in Business Analytics (EPBA), MISB Bocconi, Mumbai

Having just finished our initial round of selections for our first cycle of the Jigsaw – MISB Bocconi Executive Program in Business Analytics (EPBA), we must say we have been impressed with the caliber of candidates. Today we would like to introduce Madhuprasad Shetty, one of the first candidates to be accepted into the program. Let’s get to know him and find out exactly why he applied for this program, what he hopes to get out of it and how and why he made the smart decision to get a foreign education while staying put in India.

Madhuprasad has a BE in Electronics and Communications from Manipal Institute of Technology, Karnataka. He has around 15 years of work experience in developing, architecting & managing projects across various domains such as web services & J2EE applications, SAP Enterprise & NetWeaver portal and content management. He is currently a Development Manager at IBM. He loves cricket, spending time with his family and getting involved in social events and causes at every opportunity. He also makes time in his busy schedule to continuously build his knowledge in specific areas of interest, one of which is… data analytics!

Below are excerpts from our conversation with him:

When did you first hear about analytics and Big Data and how did you become interested in this?

I first heard about these terms back in 2010, but it was only about a year ago that I really began exploring the subject and I became interested in it. I had been exposed to various aspects of data while managing certain BI projects. In fact I have worked on data integration projects involving SAP, AS400, PRISM and IBM DB2 and managed large scale data warehousing and business intelligence projects on SAP Netviewer Platform. I found working on such projects quite challenging and exciting and that is the reason perhaps that I started getting interested in learning more about it.

How did you hear about the MISB Jigsaw EPBA and what prompted you to apply for it?

I heard about the EPBA while pursuing the Data Science with SAS course at Jigsaw Academy. By then I had developed a real interest in the subject and this seemed like a great program, one that would give me the added skills I wanted to learn. I had multiple discussions with Jigsaw Academy on the course curriculum, value add and also about the career prospects after the completion of the program and I was quite impressed.

Of course, I did research other courses at ISB, IIMB and Great Lakes, but ultimately finalized on the MISB EPBA based on a combination of multiple factors like convenience/commitment at work place, industry relevant curriculum and internationally recognized accreditation.

How was the interview experience?

There were two levels of discussions. The initial round was done by Jigsaw Academy and the second round was done by MISB. The focus was more on the background, previous domain experience, data related work or analytics, motivation and expectation of the candidate from the program, and not on the technical ability of the candidate.

What about the whole EPBA admission process? Was it an easy process? Is there scope for improvement?

I think all in all it was good. However the interview process could be little more stringent in future, like may be you can think of conducting an aptitude test or something similar for initial screening.

You must be very excited about the program. What are your expectations and what are you most looking forward to?

Yes, indeed I am really excited. I am looking forward to gaining industry relevant subject matter expertise and cutting edge leadership skills that will enable me to stand out from the crowd. And of course having the opportunity to get an accreditation from one of the top European Universities, is really fantastic. If I had to go do this same course abroad, I would spend a lot more and perhaps would have had to take time off from work to do the course. So really, the biggest advantage is that I can get to Milan by sitting in Mumbai!

Do you think this EPBA will change the course of your career?

I believe that a successful career, needs commitment and hard work from the individual, along with industry exposure, professional training and skill development from a credible institute. I really think that the EPBA will give me the skills and the exposure that’s needed to succeed in my career and more than anything, it will boost my confidence, as well.

Is there any material or topic that you would like the EPBA to focus on or cover more in depth?

I believe inviting industries to participate in the program will be an added advantage. I would also like to see each student being able to pick up some real time experience with those industries [either retail or finance depending on their interest] at the end of the program. Also the teaching must be use case based and that we cover more use cases apart from the ones which are already part of the Jigsaw curriculum.

We see that you live in Bangalore, but the program has 6 in person contact dates in Mumbai. What about this program attracted you to travel out of station in order to participate?

To be frank this is the painful part, to travel and stay in Mumbai. But I am sure MISB will help us with getting reasonable accommodation in the campus. However I do believe it is worth it, and the gain will be more than the pain, as it will enable me to acquire new skills from the best there is. As I said previously, by doing this course here in India, I am saving a lot more money and time than if I did this same course abroad.

As a Jigsaw alumnus, you already have some background in Data Analytics. Can you give us some feedback about the Jigsaw course you’ve already completed?

Jigsaw courses definitely lay the foundation for anyone in the analytics domain. For the people who are in the initial years of their career, it provides a good path and a way to break in to the analytics domain.

What are your general thoughts on the analytics and Big Data boom in the business world today? 

I believe that we can shape a better, smarter world, by making use of available data. Data not only provides insights to the past, but also provides us the ability to predict future business trends. This enable businesses to forecast, plan and optimize business processes and maximize profits. The potential is something even we ourselves cannot predict today, but I definitely want to be at the epicenter of it all.

Thanks for taking the time to talk to us Madhu. We wish you all the best as you begin the program and look forward to staying in touch and sharing your MISB EPBA journey with you.

About the EPBA:

The newly launched EPBA offers participants a flexible and unique route to a top foreign b-school certificate. The ten-month executive program, a partnership between MISB Bocconi and Jigsaw Academy which will commence later this month is India’s first long-term course, blending general management with Big Data and business analytics.

Successful participants will receive a certification from SDA Bocconi School of Management, Milan, Italy, one of Europe’s premier business schools. Add to this the Jigsaw Academy advantage (analytics expertise, real life data sets and a unique teaching pedagogy) and you get a winning combination, a program that will set you apart and take your career several notches up.

The EPBA will focus on giving participants an understanding of predictive modeling, data mining, big data analytics, marketing, operations and risk analytics, among other analytics areas. At the end of the program, participants will be capable of data driven decision making and leadership in industries such as retail, finance, telecommunications, healthcare, and manufacturing.

Check out the link for more details about the course  https://jgs.aw/1DXRRzw, alternatively you can write to epba@u-next.com or call us at 09699122277 for any queries.

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