Applied Python for Data Science & Engineering (TTPS4874)

Course Objectives

This course is approximately 50% hands-on, combining expert lecture, real-world demonstrations and group discussions with machine-based practical labs and exercises.  Our engaging instructors and mentors are highly experienced practitioners who bring years of current "on-the-job" experience into every classroom.  Working in a hands-on learning environment, guided by our expert team, attendees will learn how to:

• Core Python Proficiency: By the close of the course, participants will have a firm grasp on the foundational elements of Python, such as variables, data types, and flow control, empowering them to write scripts and build simple programs with confidence.
• Analytical Problem-Solving: Utilizing libraries such as NumPy and SciPy, students will develop the ability to perform complex mathematical operations and statistical analyses, significantly amplifying their analytical capabilities for tasks such as data modeling or optimization problems.
• Data Manipulation Mastery: By the end of the course, participants will be proficient in employing Pandas to clean, transform, and analyze data sets, enabling them to make data-driven decisions effectively.
• Automated Workflow Development: Students will acquire the ability to construct automated scripts using Python's Standard Library, optimizing repetitive tasks and thereby enhancing operational efficiency in their organizations.
• Advanced Data Visualization: Upon course completion, learners will be equipped to utilize Matplotlib and other Python libraries to craft intricate visual representations of data, facilitating clearer and more impactful reporting and presentations.
• Error-Resilient Coding: Attendees will learn best practices for implementing robust error and exception handling techniques, leading to the creation of more stable and secure Python applications.
• Modular Programming Proficiency: By mastering Python functions, modules, and packages, students will be adept at developing modular and maintainable code, a key skill for scalability and collaborative programming projects.

Need different skills or topics?  If your team requires different topics or tools, additional skills or custom approach, this course may be further adjusted to accommodate.  We offer additional python, data science, AI, machine learning , web development, data science, machine learning and other related topics that may be blended with this course for a track that best suits your needs. Our team will collaborate with you to understand your needs and will target the course to focus on your specific learning objectives and goals.

Course Prerequisites

This introductory-level course is geared for technical professionals new to Python.  Roles include data analysts, developers, engineers or anyone tasked with utilizing Python for data analytics tasks.  Familiarity with basic scripting skills is recommended, as this course does not teach general scripting basics.

Follow On Courses:  Our core Python, data science and machine learning training courses provide students with a solid foundation for continued learning based on role, goals, or their areas of specialty.  Our learning paths offer a wide variety of related follow-on courses such as:

• TTPS4876     Next Level Python in Data Science / Intermediate (5 days)
• TTPS4880     Hands-On Practical Python for Data Wrangling & Transformation (3 days)
• TTPS4883     Forecasting, Behavioral Analysis, and What-If Scenarios with Python (3 days)
• TTML5503   Introduction to AI, AI Programming & Machine Learning (3 days)
• TTML5506-P Machine Learning Essentials with Python (3 days)

Next Steps / Follow-on Courses: We offer a wide variety of follow-on courses and learning paths for Python, Big Data, AI, Machine Learning, AI for Business, GPT-3.5 / GPT 4, Applied AI, Azure OpenAI, Google BARD, AI for developers, testers, data analytics, machine learning, deep learning, programming, intelligent automation and many other related topics.  Please see our catalog for the current Python or AI & Machine Learning Courses, Learning Journeys & Skills Roadmaps, list courses and programs.

Course Agenda

Please note that this list of topics is based on our standard course offering, evolved from typical industry uses and trends. We’ll work with you to tune this course and level of coverage to target the skills you need most.

1. The Python Environment

• About Python
• Starting Python
• Using the interpreter
• Running a Python script
• Python scripts on Unix/Windows
• Using the Spyder editor

2. Getting Started

• Using variables
• Builtin functions
• Strings
• Numbers
• Converting among types
• Writing to the screen
• String formatting
• Command line parameters

3. Flow Control

• About flow control
• White space
• Conditional expressions (if,else)
• Relational and Boolean operators
• While loops
• Alternate loop exits

4. Array Types

• About sequences
• Lists
• Tuples
• Indexing and slicing
• Iterating through a sequence
• Using enumerate()
• Functions for all sequences
• Keywords and operators for all sequences
• The range() function
• Nested sequences
• List comprehensions
• Generator expressions

5. Working with files

• File overview
• Opening a text file
• Reading a text file
• Writing to a text file
• Raw (binary) data

6. Dictionaries and Sets

• Creating dictionaries
• Iterating through a dictionary
• Creating sets
• Working with sets

7. Functions, modules, and packages

• Four types of function parameters
• Four levels of name scoping
• Single/multi dispatch
• Relative imports
• Using __init__ effectively
• Documentation best practices

8. Errors and Exception Handling

• Syntax errors
• Exceptions
• Using try/catch/else/finally
• Handling multiple exceptions
• Ignoring exceptions

9. Using the Standard Library

• The sys module
• Launching external programs
• Walking directory trees
• Grabbing web pages
• Sending e-mail
• Paths, directories, and filenames
• Dates and times
• Zipped archives

10. Pythonic Programming

• The Zen of Python
• Common idioms
• Named tuples
• Useful types from collections
• Sorting
• Lambda functions
• List comprehensions
• Generator expressions
• String formatting

11. Introduction to Python Classes

• Defining classes
• Constructors
• Instance methods and data
• Attributes
• Inheritance
• Multiple inheritance

12. Developer tools

• Program development
• Comments
• pylint
• Customizing pylint
• Using pyreverse
• The unittest module
• Fixtures
• Skipping tests
• Making a suite of tests
• Automated test discovery
• The Python debugger
• Starting debug mode
• Stepping through a program
• Setting breakpoints
• Profiling
• Benchmarking

13. Excel spreadsheets

• The openpyxl module
• Reading an existing spreadsheet
• Creating a spreadsheet from scratch
• Modifying an existing spreadsheet
• Setting Styles

14. Serializing Data

• Using ElementTree
• Creating a new XML document
• Parsing XML
• Finding by tags and XPath
• Parsing JSON into Python
• Parsing Python into JSON
• Working with CSV

15. iPython and Jupyter

• iPython features
• Using Jupyter notebooks
• Benchmarking
• External Commands
• Cells
• Sharing Notebooks

16. Introduction to NumPy

• NumPy basics
• Creating arrays
• Shapes
• Stacking
• Indexing and slicing
• Array creation shortcuts
• Matrices
• Data Types

17. Brief intro to SciPy

• What is SciPy?
• The Python science ecosystem
• How to use SciPy
• Getting Help
• SciPy subpackages

18. Intro to Pandas

• Pandas overview & architecture
• Series
• Dataframes
• Reading and writing data
• Data alignment and reshaping
• Basic indexing
• Broadcasting
• Removing Entries
• Timeseries
• Reading Data

19. Introduction to Matplotlib

• Overal architecture
• Plot terminology
• Kinds of plots
• Creating plots
• Exporting plots
• Using Matplotlib in Jupyter
• What else can you do?

Course Materials

Student Materials: Each participant will receive a Student Guide with course notes, code samples, software tutorials, step-by-step written lab instructions, diagrams and related reference materials and resource links. Students will also receive the project files (or code, if applicable) and solutions required for the hands-on work. Any courseware of lab materials provided in a cloud (if applicable) will also be made available to you separately.

Every-Course Extras = High-Value & Long-Term Learning Support! All Public Schedule courses include our unique EveryCourse Extras package (Course Recordings, Live Instructor Follow-on Support, Free *Live* Course Refresh Re-Takes, early access to Special Offers, Free Courses & more). Please inquire for details.

Hands-On Setup Made Simple! Our dedicated tech team will work with you to ensure our ‘easy-access’ cloud-based course environment, or local installation, is accessible, fully-tested and verified as ready to go well in advance of the course start date, ensuring a smooth start to class and effective learning experience for all participants. We can also help you install this course locally if preferred. Please inquire for details and options.

Every-Course Extras = High-Value & Long-Term Learning Support! All Public Schedule courses include our unique EveryCourse Extras package (Post-Course Resource Site access with Review Labs & Live Instructor Follow-on Support, access to QuickSkills recorded High-Value lessons, Free *Live* Course Refresh Re-Takes, early access to Special Offers, Free Courses & more). Please inquire for details.