Dancing My Way Through Data: A Journey into Machine Learning at Workhuman!

Hey there everyone, My name is Sharanya and I really enjoy dancing. It is something I love to do all the time! Even if I am sleeping, just tell me to dance, and I will wake up, jump out of bed, and start dancing. It is like an instant dance party for me! P.S. Jokes apart, I am trained in Indian classical dance, and it is one of my favourite hobbies, along with exploring new places. Additionally, I also enjoy discovering new and exciting places to satisfy my taste buds. 

I have always been fascinated by working with data, and that interest started in school when I discovered data science. I am naturally curious, especially about dealing with lots of information. This curiosity led me to explore data science during my post-graduation. This early interest has played a significant role in shaping my career. Now, I am committed to working in the field of data and machine learning, where I enjoy facing challenges and discovering insights from the data. 

My path wasn't a straight line; after completing my post-graduation in Mathematics and completing a dissertation on Data Mining, I started my career in IT as a support engineer. I decided to then take a career break for two years. During this hiatus, I pursued a comprehensive course in Machine Learning and engaged in freelance projects within the field. It was during this time that I discovered the Women Reboot program. This initiative actively supports women who are returning to the workforce after career breaks. The program not only provided training but also invaluable support, enabling women like me to reintegrate into the professional sphere. It stands as a testament to the importance of such initiatives in empowering and facilitating the professional growth of individuals who have taken breaks in their careers.  

Transitioning from a Support Engineer to a Machine Learning Engineer was challenging, but I was determined. Self- learning became necessary as I underwent a significant domain switch. The initial phase with the team brought its own set of challenges, naturally making me a bit nervous and tense as any beginner would be Fortunately, with unwavering support from both my team and manager, I gradually found my footing and caught up with the pace. Amiable, enthusiastic, and collaborative—these are the words my team members would use to describe me.  

Workhuman is not just a workplace; it's a thriving hub for Machine Learning enthusiasts with excellent opportunities. The company boasts a dedicated team focused on machine learning and research, comprising highly skilled and capable members in the team. Additionally, there is a research-oriented Natural Language Processing (NLP) team based in the US. Along with the current collaborative projects, discussions and planning are underway for more projects with the NLP team. I was fortunate enough to be a part of our in-house AI hackathon, along with the NLP team, on the topic ‘Gpt-for-Workhuman’ which helped me to explore in and out of the topic and get to know more on Generative AI.  Notably, several team members, me included, had the privilege of attending DataLabs with the AWS team, specifically Neptune Graph DB which has a particularly good scope in Machine Learning and Deep Learning. This collaboration presents a promising avenue for exploring Data Science initiatives within the organization. 

I always remember the poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, likewise, we know the path is not straightforward, but still we chose this road out of our interest. Embarking on a career in Machine Learning requires a mix of self-learning, maintaining a consistent routine, and an appetite for challenges. Embrace these challenges; you've got this, and as you delve into the work, you'll discover a passion for what you do. Failures may or may not happen but gaining knowledge is permanent! 

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