Imarticus Learning – Page 612 – Finance, Tech & Analytics Career Resources

Do You Need a PhD to be a Data Scientist?

Posted on May 11, 2020July 5, 2020 by Imarticus Learning

Today, data scientists are the emerging assets for companies, and it is imperative for candidates to possess the required skillsets to do wonders in this worthwhile career. But that being said, many people are in a dilemma whether they need a Ph.D. to become a data scientist.

In order to ensure efficient workflow in data science projects, companies are looking for Ph.D. candidates, turning a blind eye to the challenge of the skill gap.

Although Ph.D. candidates will gain an edge over other non-doctorate candidates with regards to knowledge and exposure, a Ph.D. degree in the field of data science will not ensure results due to the ever-evolving technology ecosystem.

Data science jobs ceased to exist a decade back, and anyone rarely opted for a Ph.D. degree in data science. As such, there were a limited number of data scientists who used to hold a doctorate in data science. Apart from that, until lately, several universities did not even provide courses to get trained in data science, which further triggered the scarcity of skilled candidates for the jobs.

Research reveals that there are over 4000 jobs for data science in the US, providing abundant opportunities for Ph.D. aspirants to pick out. As such, thinking about pursuing a Ph.D. degree in data science is not mandatory. Moreover, experts suggest that majority of challenges that companies confront do not require Ph.D. candidates.

Current Situation

Looking at the fast-paced changes in AI and data science spaces, novel technologies make headways, and numerous approaches get outdated, a Ph.D. in data science requires around 5-7 years.

For some people, TensorFlow, Jupyter Notebook, and PyTorch have only become mainstays in the past few years. Thus, these tools would not make into the data science courses in universities, and hence, myriads of candidates enrolled for Ph.D. in data science in 2014 or 2015, would not be skilled in new technologies that are comparatively commonplace now.

As a result, a Ph.D. degree in data science does not guarantee a skilled aspirant.

Data Science: Skills vs. Ph.D.

Skill gains more preference versus certificates in the data science landscape, which is witnessing cut-throat competition. Case in point, on Kaggle, wherein developers from across continents compete to win the challenges, loads of developers hold a firm grip sans having a Ph.D. degree in data science.

At present, there are several platforms that numerous companies can leverage to figure out the expertise of data scientists rather than looking for Ph.D. candidates. Data scientists, unlike other development roles, are tutored to resolve real-life problems on hackathons such as StackOverflow, Kaggle, and GitHub that are organized on a global level. As such, their performance on such platforms says a lot.

Apart from that, data science developers are using media platforms – LinkedIn, Medium, and Twitter – to display their proficiency in data science. Furthermore, a proven track record is what recruiters are giving preference to rather than a Ph.D. degree holder in data science

Online Courses Fill the Bill

Following the latest fad, the data science industry is seeing a colossal rise of e-learning channels and the students opting for them, reflecting the potential of bridging the skill gaps in the data science and AI landscape. As per the Analytics India Magazine, leading data scientists have gained expertise in data science careers following appropriate practices, mostly enrolling in online courses. They believe that one can reach new heights without a Ph.D. in data science.

Looking Forward

So do you need a Ph.D. to be a data scientist? Well, it depends. Research in the data science field is crucial as it brings new techniques on the table, streamlining the workflow. However, it is not a must as not all companies are much into research.

You can be a great data scientist if you apply conventional methods to solve challenges with data science. That is why it not quintessential for you to have a Ph.D. in data science.

How to Reduce Credit Risk

Posted on May 8, 2020July 9, 2020 by Imarticus Learning

Risk is an inherent part of any business activity being carried out. The reward is directly proportional to the amount of risk taken. It is the part of the parcel and no business is immune to risks. In the most basic sense of things, risk can be understood as the uncertainty around a business.
Even the recession-proof businesses are prone to some level of risk, given the current pandemic situation it is very much evident. Risk cannot be eliminated from a business activity but it can be managed and brought down to minimal levels that have very little influence. Enterprises should focus on the concept of calculated risk.

What is Credit Risk?

Credit risk can be explained as the risk of default that arises when the borrowing party fails to meet its contractual obligations. Not being able to repay the loan amount in the specified time frame is counted as a breach of the contractual agreement between the borrower and the lender. It is the probability of loss that can occur when borrowers fail to repay the loan amount.
Credit risk is multi-faceted and can be categorised into three types. The three types of credit risks include default risk, concentration risk, institutional or sovereign risk. All three types entail different types of defaults on the loan amount. At the core of it all lies the failure to meet the obligations of the debt contract, the underlying reason behind this failure to repay differentiates the types of credit risks stated here.

Reducing credit risk

Managing credit risk in the contemporary landscape is a complex process as it involves multiple variables that might influence the business. In addition to this, the globalised economy faces repercussions from all across the globe. Credit risk managers have a crucial role to play in the banking and finance sector.
A career in this domain is highly rewarding given the growing demand for the skills possessed by credit risk managers. Credit risk certification can help you kick-start your career in this domain. The most rudimentary step in credit risk reduction is evaluating the borrower’s creditworthiness. Let’s dig deeper into how credit managers assess the creditworthiness of the borrower.

Conducting Due Diligence

Knowing your customer is the key to reducing credit risk, especially for companies in the banking and finance industry. You must obtain important relevant information about your customers before doing business with them. This will help you identify a genuine customer. You must ask for their historical financial data, the purpose of the loan and their business registration documents.
Credit risk managers also use the CIBIL score to evaluate the creditworthiness of the borrower. A good CIBIL score can easily help the borrower to obtain a loan as it shows a positive financial track record. A thorough due diligence process also includes conducting a reference check and using industry contacts to find out about the financial standing of the person or organisation seeking funds.

Establishing Credit Limits

Establishing credit limits for borrowers help a great deal to reduce credit risk. Setting credit limits work on similar principles of diversification, at the core of setting credit limits lays the idea of limiting exposure from any one party. To establish a credit limit for a party you need to examine their previous financial records.

You can check out some common financial indicators like sales, net profit, gross profit, working capital ratio, liquidity ratio, etc. In addition to this, you also need to analyse the key economic indicators and conduct industry analysis. This will give you a comprehensive understanding of the prospects of that business and also help to find out the optimum credit limit for the borrower in question.

Why Do So Many People Want to Go into Investment Banking?

Posted on May 8, 2020April 15, 2021 by Imarticus Learning

Before jumping over to why so many people want to pursue a career in Investment Banking, let’s peep into what Investment banking entails and what it takes to be an investment banker.

What is Investment Banking?

The investment banking segment is the strongest pillar of the finance and banking industry. It propels the wheel of the economy by acting as a mediator between corporations seeking fund and investors looking to park their wealth. This channelling of funds is on a very high scale and involves high profile individuals, corporations and government bodies.

Investment banking is a specialised segment of the banking industry that deals with high stake investments and provides financial guidance to investors. In addition to this investment banks also help to facilitate IPOs and M&A deals by leveraging their large professional network and financial expertise.

Given the crucial function that the investment banks perform, people are keener on pursuing a career in this industry. How can you get a job as an investment banker? It is a common question among individuals who are aspiring for a career in this domain. Well, the answer to this question is very subjective and requires personal evaluation.

If you are still in the early phase of your career development, you can opt for a bachelor’s degree in statistics, economics, mathematics, commerce, or any relevant discipline. You can boost your prospects for a job just after graduation by enrolling for an investment banking certification course.

Investment banking certification provides you with a comprehensive understanding of the investment banks. In addition to this, it imparts you with relevant technical skills and practical industry exposure. This can help you stand out of the competition by demonstrating your specialised skillset.

Why Investment Banking?

Investment banking is among the most prestigious career opportunities in the finance and banking industry. The investment banker title has its charm; it is also considered among the most rewarding career opportunities out there. So why is it so popular among people who want to pursue a career in finance?

Well, most people are lured in by the fat cheques that the investment bankers make. Some people are simply passionate about working in the investment banking industry and some are driven by the investment banker lifestyle. There are various reasons why people join the investment banking industry but the majority is looking forward to making good money. It is among the few professions where simple graduation in disciplines like economics, statistics, mathematics, etc. can help you earn 6 figures income.

The Investment Banker Lifestyle

One of the most prominent reasons why young college graduates want to pursue a career in this industry is because they want to enjoy the investment banker lifestyle. Investment banking is known for its compensation, it’s is far higher compared to any other industry’s professionals at a similar level. People are attracted to the glamour and charisma attached to this role, the high-profile parties and exotic island hospitality is more than enough to jump into this field.

The Status Quo

Investment bankers are usually involved in high-profile deals and they work with high-net individuals from celebrities to entrepreneurs, this gives them exclusive access to information and people. The title of an investment banker is held in very high regard by people around us. It helps to demonstrate a distinguishing trait, a title held by only a few percentages of the population makes you stand out from the crowd.

Passion-Driven

Some people in this industry are simply driven by passion more than anything else. They like to crunch number and look at stock indices and analyse stocks. They usually want to work in the finance sector from a young age. In addition to this, they are good at their job and thus they enjoy fairly higher compensation.

Also Read: Scope of Investment Banking

Is Imarticus Good for Data Science Course?

Posted on May 7, 2020August 31, 2023 by Imarticus Learning

The world is driven by data today. Millions of data are generated every second, and these data are collected, analyzed, and interpreted for various business needs. This may sound easy, but it is not as simple as you think it is. You need to have the requisite technical expertise, personal traits, and a good grasp of programming languages to have the right start.

A valid training from a reputed institute is particularly important. If you are looking for a tailored analytics program that makes you career ready, check out the Data Science Course from Imarticus. Headquartered in Mumbai, Imarticus Learning offers both classroom-based and online courses. It has dedicated support centers in various cities – Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bangalore. You can learn from more than 200 expert teachers and use their collaboration with more than 480 corporate partners. Let’s have a closer look at the program.

What are the Courses Offered?

Imarticus offers both Postgraduate and Prodegree Courses in Analytics. Each of the programs is cocreated with a reputed partner.

The courses they offer are:

Post Graduate Programmes in:

Analytics and Artificial Intelligence – cocreated with Coding Ninjas
Data Analytics –

Prodegree

Machine Learning and Deep Learning – cocreated with IBM
Data Science – cocreated with Genpact

Data Science Course

Their data science course is designed in collaboration with Genpact. This course helps you learn base SAS, multivariate analytics, predictive analytics optimization and to perform forecasting using advanced statistics. The course curriculum includes business problems and case studies. You also get to crack Bases SAS and Predictive Modelling certifications, both valid internationally.

Why Imarticus?

Career Services and Placement Assistance

Imarticus placement assistance includes guidance for resume building an online profile building. Mock interviews help you prepare with the right answers and to gain confidence. Most often, you will be approached by their industry partners, so you might not even need to go through the job-search grill.

The postgraduate program offers a job assurance guarantee. They have partnered with some reputed organizations in the market to make the placement process exceptionally smooth. For the prodegree course, however, they offer placement assistance. They have tie-ups with industry partners for prodegree courses as well.

Most of the industry partners are big names in the market:

Nomura
Genpact
Capgemini
HSBC
BNP Paribas
Deutsche Bank
Morgan Stanley
Goldman Sachs
Societe Generale
UBS
RBS
Viteos

How Will Imarticus Analytics Centre of Excellence Benefit You?

Imarticus not just trains you, they hand-hold you till you crack and interview. You get access to industry-relevant content that provides insight into the current industry trends, you get to interact with industry experts, which will help you crack interviews. You get to attend many relevant events like webinars and seminars, which help you grow your network and learn more about the industry. Adding more to this, you get access to a big collection of domain-specific resources including blogs and videos.

Scholarships

If you wish to pursue a course from Imarticus and if monetary constraints hold you back, then you need not worry. Imarticus offers up to 75% deduction on your course fee. You can check with the organization to see if you qualify for the scholarship.

Conclusion

Imarticus is one of India’s leading professional education institute that empowers its students with the knowledge, guidance, and placement. In current times, you must choose the right institute to get trained in whatever domain you select. The recognition of the program is not all that matters. How the institute holds your hand all through the journey, from training you in all relevant aspects of the subject you select to getting you placed in a reputed organization is also important. Thus, Imarticus becomes the right choice.

Evolution of Investment Banks!

Posted on May 7, 2020April 15, 2021 by Imarticus Learning

What are Investment Banks?

Investment Banks are specialized divisions in the finance and banking industry that helps to channel the funds in the economy. At the core of investment banking lays the function to connect organizations seeking funds with investors looking for profitable investment opportunities.

The primary function of any investment bank is to help its clients raise the required funds from the market to achieve their business objectives.

Investment banks help the companies to access the capital market and raise funds by issuing debt or equity securities to the investors/ shareholders. After properly assessing the finances of their clients the investment banks advise on a suitable capital structure for the business corporations. Investment banks also help private companies to sell their shares through Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) by providing their underwriting services.

Investment banks also help companies with Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) deals, they help to facilitate M&A deals by doing competitor and industry analysis, conducting due diligence on the targeted companies and carrying out the valuation of these companies. Investment banks are subdivided into the sell-side and the buy-side.

The sell-side firms deal with raising capital from the market by selling shares or bonds, like in case of IPOs. The buy-side firms on the other side work with hedge funds, mutual funds, pension funds, etc. to help maximize the return on their client’s investment in popular investment vehicles. Some Investment banks offer both buy-side and sell-side services.

The History of Investment Banks

The investment banking industry was not so well established back in the days. The concept of investment banks have existed for quite some time but the proliferation of this industry is a recent phenomenon which was fuelled by the increased globalisation. If we break down the functioning of a modern investment bank, we will find the role of a mediator at its core. This will help us trace the history of investment banks.

Mediating deals between investors with excess capital and borrowers seeking funds has existed for centuries in some form or the other. Although an exclusive institution dedicated that we call investment banks today were not very prevalent. There were investment financiers who were extremely wealthy citizens that provided funds to the royalty and the governments. The government and royalty backed this loan by taxes collected from their citizens; it acted as a security for the money borrowed from the investment financiers.

Modern investment banking began in USA, during the period of the Civil war when the Philadelphia-based financier Jay Cooke teamed up with hundreds of salespeople. Jay Cooke and his sales team sold millions worth of government bonds to investors with capital to invest in securities. Eventually, war bonds were marketed to the public to raise money, here the financier played the role of a representative of the Department of Treasury to help facilitate the deal.

When the Civil war ended, the investment banks played a major role in building a new and far more efficient capitalist that paved the way for unparalleled wealth creation. Financing capital intensive projects like mining, manufacturing and railroads was beyond the scope of usual banks. Investment banks played a crucial role by acting as mediators and brought together investors with excess capital and corporations seeking capitals for financing large scale projects.

Private investment banking grew and was initially dominated by two groups the Yankee houses and the German-Jewish houses. Eventually, after the collapse of the New York Stock Exchange in 1907 Federal Reserve System was created to regulate the trades. This wasn’t enough to stop another crisis in the form of the Great Depression.

Major reforms in the form of the Glass-Stegal act was made to the US banking system. This required the separation of commercial and investment banks in two categories. The investment banking industry grew multiple folds with new investment opportunities in the market domestically and globally. A major turnaround was made in the year 1999 when the Glass-Stegal act was repealed. Today, the Fintech industry has revolutionised banking & finance and is changing the investment landscape dramatically.

Also Read: What is Best Investment Bank to Work For

Covid-19 Hits Investment Banking Revenues

Posted on May 7, 2020October 12, 2022 by Imarticus Learning

The Wrath of Coronavirus

We are amidst a global pandemic that has disrupted the functioning of all major industries across the globe. It has established that even the 21st-century economy is not immune to a pandemic. Scientist around the world has failed to beat the virus even with the most sophisticated and progressive technology available. It sometimes makes you wonder if our collective achievements as a society are achievements at all.
Businesses of all scale and nature have been put to halt in the wake of the deadly Coronavirus that has taken thousands of lives. Human resource is the most important resource for any organization no matter what level of technical sophistication you have achieved in your operations. The threat to humanity is real and this is hampering organizations to a great extent.

Investment banking in times of COVID19

The investment banking segment is among the industries that are heavily impacted by this lethal outbreak. The finance and investment industry is known for being volatile. This has been further fuelled by the Coronavirus outbreak to another level. The clouds of recession are looming all over in this time of uncertainty.

US banking giants like JP Morgan & Chase have prepared a reserve cover net for approximately $7 billion to protect it from potential loan defaults and bad debts in the coming months. This has plunged its profit by more than two-thirds in the first quarter.
The $7 billion reserves included $4.5 billion exclusively for potential consumer loan defaults on account of increasing unemployment rates in the US. The bank’s net income fell to $2.87 billion, in the quarter ended March 31. In addition to this, players like Wells Fargo also reported a reduction in their first quarter’s profitability.

As per research reports, the collective investment bank revenue fell by approximately 33% in the first quarter of 2020. The current revenue figures in absolute terms for the first quarter stands at $222 million. It is estimated to be the lowest since the year 2016. A downtrend in the Mergers and Acquisitions advisory fee was also reported.

A fall of approximately 66% to $35.5 million compared with the last year’s figures. Debt capital market underwriting fees in India fell by almost 22% from the previous year. In addition to this plunge, cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions also showed a downtrend as both inbound and outbound activities were hampered. The inbound M&A activity in India fell by almost 30% from the previous year and stood at $6 billion. The outbound M&A activities in India also witnessed a dramatic fall; it fell by almost 70% compared with the previous year’s figures.

The energy and power sector in India contributed to a major chunk of deal-making activities. Bad debts collateral auction also witnessed a fall, only one-third of all the assets put up for sale attracted bids from buyers amid this global pandemic. The approximate worth of these collaterals put up for sale by Banks and NBFCs amounted to approximately 15000 crores, these offers drew bids for less than Rs. 5000 crore
Talking about Asia Pacific (excluding Japan), the collective fees generated from Investment banking activities like Debt Capital Market (DCM), Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), Equity Capital Market (ECM) witness a major downtrend. It fell by almost 9% when compared with the previous year’s stats.

The revenue from investment banking industries has been dramatically hampered amidst this global pandemic. A major downtrend in Mergers & Acquisition activities was witnessed across the Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) compared with the previous year’s stats. A major portion of profits has been set aside by Investment Banks to tackle the bad-debt challenge in the upcoming months.

Also Read: https://imarticus.org/how-corona-virus-may-impact-global-investment-bank-revenues-in-2020/

How Imarticus Learning Boosted Ashwin Alex’s career?

Posted on May 7, 2020October 12, 2022 by Imarticus Learning

After obtaining his Bachelor of Commerce degree, Ashwin Alex managed to land his first job at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) as a Customer Service Representative (CSR). He was given the responsibility of handling customer queries for TCS’s credit card and debt recovery division, a role which he fulfilled for 3 years. However, he knew that if he wanted his career to gain momentum, he would have to upskill himself and upgrade his existing base of knowledge.

Having spoken to a colleague who was enrolled in Imarticus Learning’s Certified Investment Banking Professional program, Ashwin became curious about what his colleague stood to achieve from the program. He witnessed his colleague complete the CIBOP program successfully and then get a job placement at a reputed investment banking firm. This inspired Ashwin to follow suit, and he too joined Imarticus Learning’s CIBOP program soon after.

It was one of the best decisions he ever made.

Three months into the CIBOP program, Ashwin was asked to rate his overall experience at Imarticus Learning. He gladly gave it a score of 5 out of 5, highlighting the dual benefits of both theoretical and real-world practical education he received from his primary trainer, Mrs. Lourdes Miranda. He emphasized that her teaching style made it easier for him to understand the complex world of investment banking.

Ashwin also spoke of the importance of guest lectures from seasoned investment banking professionals who provided him with extremely valuable industry insights that he was otherwise unaware of. He stressed how he learned about commodities trading, both in India and worldwide, from guest lecturers in a relatively short period of time.

The deeply knowledgeable faculty, the friendly administration, the in-depth course material, and the wonderful study environment fostered at Imarticus Learning left a remarkably positive impression on Ashwin. According to him, his experience during the CIBOP program has undoubtedly enhanced his professional profile and made him a much more desirable candidate for future employers.

To learn more about Ashwin Alex’s journey at Imarticus Learning, please click here.

A Complete Guide For Deep Learning!

Posted on May 5, 2020March 22, 2024 by Imarticus Learning

Deep Learning is known as neurally organized or as learning of various levels. It is one piece of an even more extensive type of group of the techniques used for machine learning in the aspect of learning and retrieving information, instead of undertaking the particular calculations. Also, learning could be directed, or semi-managed or even unsupervised.

Hence, careers in the field of Deep Learning renders organizations with different kinds of arrangements for systems in order to look after the issues of complex explanatory and also drives rapid developments in the counterfeit consciousness.

Complex undertakings such as- picture examination and discourse, can be performed with the help of models prepared by fostering calculations of deep learning amidst an immense amount of information.

These models of Deep learning are generally identified with the data preparing as well as with correspondence designs that are in a system of organic sensory, for example, the neural coding that attempts to characterize one connection between distinct data and the related reactions of neurons inside the brain. Therefore, a career in deep learning looks prospering.

What are the job positions that one can expect in the field of Deep Learning?

Mentioned below are the job positions that a person who specializes in deep learning can look out for:

Research Analyst
Data Scientist
Neuroinformatics
Image Recognition
Research Scientist
Deep Learning Instructor
Full-stack deep learning web developer
Process Engineer for Natural Language
Software Engineer
Data Analyst
Data Engineer
Bioinformatician
Software Developer
Research Fellow
Applied Scientist
A lead manager in Deep Learning

This shows that a career in Deep Learning has lots of options to make a future in.

Career Outlook

The information researcher hunts through enormous measures of unstructured as well as organized information in order to give fractions of knowledge; plus, it also helps to meet the particular business requirements or needs and objectives. Similar work needs to be done if you have pursued the Machine-Learning courses.

From where should you pursue the deep learning course?

Imarticus Learning is one of the best platforms to learn and help yourself make a future in the field of Deep Learning. Here, you will get to learn all the skills that are essential to becoming an expert in the field of Deep Learning. Because there are a number of skills and academic study required, Imarticus offers a ‘Machine Learning & Deep Learning Prodegree’, in association with the edtech partner, IBM.

It is the first-of-its-kind certification course of more than 145+ hours of training. This provides in-depth data science exposure, as well as, big data, machine, and deep learning as well. The meticulous curriculum-aligned as per the industry provides a comprehensive knowledge of Python as well as data science for a flourishing future and career in machine learning and big data as well. This program also stars seven projects of industry, various case studies as well as periodic interaction with industry leaders inside the ecosystem of machine learning.

How Imarticus Learning Helped Me Become An Investment Banker – Neelam Chauhan’s Story!

Posted on April 30, 2020September 1, 2025 by Imarticus Learning

Like so many before her, Neelam Chauhan was fresh out of college and armed with a bachelor’s degree in Commerce, eager to take the leap into becoming a full-time working professional in the field of banking and finance.

But she knew that her degree alone would not be enough to convince potential employers to take a gamble on her. She had to amplify her industry-specific knowledge and skills, especially if she was serious about becoming an investment banker like she wanted to be since her college days.

It did not take long for Neelam to come across Imarticus Learning’s flagship Certified Investment Banking Operations Professional (CIBOP) program online, and after speaking with an Imarticus counselor, she was convinced that enrolling in the program was the best career move to make. Her decision was rewarded handsomely, with Neelam crediting Imarticus Learning’s CIBOP program for her immense professional development and preparing her for a life as a modern-day investment banker.

When asked to rate Imarticus Learning’s CIBOP program, Neelam did not hesitate to give it a score of 5 out of 5, citing the depth and efficacy of the course content, the vast experience of the teaching faculty, and the real-world applications of all that she learned during her tenure with Imarticus Learning as factors influencing her positive judgment.

Additionally, she highlighted the importance of guest lectures from working industry professionals that provided her with extremely valuable insights into the functioning of current investment banking practices, products, and procedures that she would not have received from traditional textbooks or other mediums.

The resume building section of the CIBOP program was another massive benefit for a fresher like Neelam, as she did not know how to draft a professional resume before joining Imarticus Learning. This gave her further leverage in her pursuit of becoming a distinguished investment banker.

Neelam reserves very high praise for Imarticus Learning’s CIBOP teaching faculty, particularly for Mrs. Lourdes Miranda, who she says “has been a great teacher and understands the needs of students very well. She has a vast spectrum of investment banking knowledge, and I’m grateful for the way she shared it with us.”

Neelam believes that any young professional aiming to boost their career in investment banking should look no further than Imarticus Learning. The comfortable and nurturing study environment, the world-class staff, the numerous job placement opportunities provided after successful completion of the CIBOP program, and her overall learning experience and personal journey make Imarticus Learning the obvious choice for budding investment bankers like herself.

To find out more about Neelam Chauhan’s experience at Imarticus Learning, please click here.

What Are Some Tips And Tricks For Training Deep Neural Networks?

Posted on April 30, 2020September 20, 2021 by Imarticus Learning

Deep Neural Networks aid AI applications such as image and voice recognition to function at unprecedented accuracy. A Deep Neural network is basically an array of several layers, where each layer sieves raw data into a structured mathematical model.

The process of making the data flow through the various layers is called Deep Neural Network Training. In humans, we also start recognizing an object once we have seen it several times. If you saw just one “car” in your entire life, you might not be able to recognize a car again if you saw a different model this time.

In Data Science, this is easier said than done. Therefore, we have some tips and tricks that you can use when you sit down to teach your DNN to distinguish cars from trucks.

Normalization is Effective

Normalization layers help group logical data points into a higher consolidated structure. An apparent increase in performance has been recorded when using Normalization.

You can use it three ways;

Instance Normalization – If you’re training the DNN with small batch sizes.
Batch Normalization – If you have a large batch size, supposedly more than 10, a batch normalization layer helps.
Group Normalization – Independent of batch size, it divides the computation into groups to increase accuracy.

Zero Centering

Zero Centering is considered as an important process for preparing your data for training. Just like normalization, it helps in providing accurate results later.

In order to zero center your data, you should move the mean of the data to 0. You can do this by subtracting the non-zeroed mean of the data from all the data inputs. This way, the origin of the data set on a scalar plane will lie on 0, making it Zero Centered.

Choose the Training Model Wisely

One thing that you’ll come across when you learn Deep Learning, is that the choice of model can have a significant impact on training.

Commonly, there are pre-trained models and there are models you train from scratch. Finalizing the right one that corresponds to your needs is crucial.

Today, most DNN developers are using pre-trained models for their projects as they are resourceful in terms of the time and effort required to train a model. It’s also called Transfer Learning. VGG net and ResNet are common examples.

The key here is the concurrency of your project with the pre-trained model. In case you can’t get a satisfactory model design, you can train a model from scratch too.

Deal with Overfitting
Overfitting is one of the most popular problems in DNN training. It occurs when the live run of the training model yields exceptionally good results but the same wasn’t observed during the test runs.

The problem is basically caused when the DNN starts accepting the attenuations as the perfect fit. This can be dealt with, using the technique of Regularization, which adjusts the problem of overfitting using an objective function.