From the Classroom to Data Analytics: How One Learner is Using Education to Shape Her Future

For Brittany Ford, the journey to analytics began in an unexpected place — the classroom.

“I started my career in education as a teacher with Teach For America,” she shares. “As a math teacher, I used student data to drive instruction, which sparked my interest in how we can use data to find insights.”

That early curiosity has since evolved into a growing passion. Today, she serves as a student advisor, balancing her love for data with a creative side as a makeup artist — her “first love,” as she puts it.

Choosing Emory Executive Education

When it came time to strengthen her analytics skills, she turned to Emory Executive Education’s Driving ROI with Analytics certificate program.

“What inspired me to choose the program were the courses,” she explains. “As someone new to the analytics space, I wanted to learn not only the technical skills but also understand the broader industry.”

Lessons That Stick

One of the classes that made a lasting impression was Data Visualization. “It went over the importance of using the proper graphs and charts for specific data points,” she says. “As someone who has taught these concepts before, it was rewarding to deepen my own understanding and expand on what I already knew.”

She found the webinars especially valuable — learning directly from instructors who bring real-world experience to the screen. “It’s been great hearing their experiences and how what we’re learning applies in practice,” she says.

Discovering Confidence and Momentum

For her, one of the most rewarding moments came with realizing how much she already knew. “Analytics can be intimidating,” she admits. “But it was great to see that I knew more than I thought — and what I didn’t know helped me grow even more.”

Online learning wasn’t without challenges. Staying disciplined with readings and assignments required effort. “It’s hard at first to make time for something extra,” she says. “But it’s worth the investment. Eventually, I got into a natural rhythm and built my schedule around work.”

Looking Ahead

With her certificate nearly complete, she’s setting her sights on an exciting new path: a career in beauty data analytics.

“I see this certification giving me the opportunity to work in an official data role and ultimately leading me where I hope to be — in beauty data analytics,” she says.

She credits Bryan Becton from the Bisk team as a key source of support. “It was helpful having someone check in and help me stay focused on my goals.”

Empowering Growth

If she could describe her program experience in three words, they would be informative, empowering, and pain-free.

“It’s informative without being overwhelming. Learning more about a topic I’m passionate about — and that will help me craft the future I want — is empowering.”

Her advice to others considering continuing education? “It’s always great to learn,” she says. “The program gives you the freedom to learn on your own time while holding yourself accountable. If you’re interested, just bite the bullet and do it — it’ll be worth it.”

And when it comes to inspiring others, her message is clear: “We have the power to create what we want our future to look like.”

For more information on the program, head here: https://execed.goizueta.emory.edu/driving-roi-with-analytics/

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