“While a background in science might not sound that glamorous, it’s amazing how far it’s taken me in terms of life experience,” says Pẹ̀lúmi Obasaju when asked about her future career plans. “And this experience is invaluable when looking at the next steps.”

A neuroscience PhD student at Leicester University and about to hand in her thesis, Obasaju’s academic career has allowed her to travel the world, with semesters spent in both South Korea and Paris.

However, it’s an interest in the arts that’s encouraged her to enrol on a Google Career Certificate in Data Analytics. 

A freelance writer and poet, Obasaju believes that equipping herself with the right skills will one day help her pivot career and open her own consulting agency that will support and enable more women to explore opportunities within the arts.

As part of The Big Upskill – a campaign we’ve launched with Google to equip more women with the digital skills they need to change careers or re-enter the workforce – we spoke to Obasaju about how she’s making this transition…

“Despite being in the final year of my PhD in neuroscience, I’ve always been interested in how the arts can inform science and technology. 

As a self-published poet – my pamphlet Love Letters & Heart Ramblings debuted at No 3 on the Amazon Christian Poetry chart – I’m passionate about one day combining my interests in science and the arts to launch a consulting agency that supports creative women across the globe. 

Having a background in neuroscience means I already have an understanding of how the brain processes information, which I think will be invaluable when pivoting into the creative sector. Plus, my experience working as a freelance poet will also help me better serve clients if I were to eventually move into a creative consultancy role.

However, being able to see the bigger picture outside the rigidity of full-time study can be difficult, especially if the digital skills you have aren’t moving as fast as the world around you. For example, once I’ve handed in my thesis I will have spent nearly two decades in full-time education.”

“While thinking about where I wanted this doctorate to take me, I was still dreaming of entering the creative consultancy space. To gain more practical experience of the sector, I completed an SEO-focused internship with Global Commerce Media. As time went on, it was becoming more apparent that I needed more skills to help me make this pivot once the time came.

It was this realisation that prompted me to sign up for the Google Career Certificate in Data Analytics. Data has always interested me, both as a scientist and as a poet. Having a lab-based background, I’m used to collecting and logging data – but I wanted this course to equip me with the necessary skills to collect, clean and read data in non-scientific situations. People, culture, art – we are all data, and the nerdy part of me is excited about exploring this overlap and successfully presenting the information in a way that everyone can understand.

We are shaped by what’s happening around us, whether that is what’s trending on social media or events unfolding globally. I’m interested in the logistics of data, but at the same time I want to be flexible enough to read it from a creative perspective. That’s the end goal and that’s what excites me.” 

“I have a huge respect for women in the creative space. Just doing this creative ‘thing’, while life – kids, careers, family – happens around us. That passion is what drives me. 

I’m also very much interested in behavioural strategy. In the consulting space, analytical skills are needed, especially with tools like SQL and Tableau, which I have no experience with. Also, visualising and presenting data findings in dashboards and presentations is key when communicating findings. Having this practical know-how in such a high-growth area will set me above other candidates when applying for consultancy jobs once my PhD is over. 

The dream is to one day open my own consulting agency that will support and represent female creatives, but I’m aware this is further down the line. However, having this skill set in place will only benefit me in the long run. Launching your own business means sharing insight with future stakeholders to secure investment – I’m hoping that this Google Career Certificate will help me do that.”

Offering flexible online training programmes to help more women learn job-ready skills in high-growth, high-demand careers, the Google Career Certificates are ideal for those looking to upskill in their own time. Available via Coursera, as well as via free scholarships through selected partners, simply click here to find the right Google Career Certificate for you.