He learned new skills for free on YouTube, almost doubles his salary

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This article originally appeared on Business Insider.

This essay as stated is based on a conversation with Elijah Butler, a 24 year old data analyst from Kentucky. He made the transition to technology during the pandemic in search of higher wages and a better work-life balance, as many young adults in recent years. He provided Insider with documentation proving his income. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.

Growing up, I went through many potential career ambitions.

First, he wanted to be a meteorologist. Eventually, I changed my mind and decided to become a mechanical engineer. In fact, I started college with an engineering major, but I quickly discovered that it wasn’t for me.

After the first year, I changed my major to business economics and entered the business college, where I was introduced to the world of data. That led me on my way out of school, doing fraud analysis for a bank. It’s a good job, overall. I’m grateful for my time there, but it wasn’t for me.

For one, I found it to be repetitive and uninspiring work. It’s the problem a lot of people have with “steady” jobs, and I couldn’t find the balance I wanted between stability and stimulation. I worked less than a year at that firm.

Two years ago, when I was 22, I finally learned what someone with the title of “data analyst” did, while still working that first job. I wanted to venture into technology and it seemed like the best way to do it.

As I describe in a recent TikTok videowhere I share tips on getting into the field, a data analyst analyzes raw data to “draw conclusions, and this can be used to answer questions, influence business strategy, or anything else your organization asks of you.”

Switching to a career in data analytics changed my life

It didn’t take me long to become a data analyst, and it changed my life. A career in data analysis allowed my wife and I to start traveling a lot more, which is our true passion in life: this year, we’re going to Florida, Wyoming, and hopefully somewhere out west, which we wouldn’t have . managed with my bank fraud analysis salary. We have also managed to pay off the small amount of debt that we have.

When I was hired for my current role as a data analyst, I received a nearly 40% pay increase compared to my job as a fraud analyst, as well as amazing 401k matching policies and paid time off. I currently work as a data and reporting professional at Humana, a health insurance company.

The great thing about a job in data analytics is that it’s a skill that can be transferred between all kinds of companies.

I love my job. Most of all, I like being able to solve problems and be creative.

For example, when I write code to extract data from a database, one of my typical assignments, I act as an engineer, often using a trial and error approach until I complete a given task.

By creating reports, I can exercise the creative part of my brain, using data to tell a story in the form of charts, graphs, and text. I take even more pride in this part of the job, for example, I choose company-specific color schemes to make reports look visually appealing.

Like any profession, it has its good days and bad days, but I’m happy that I get paid well for this type of work.

How I became a data analyst and how you can do the same

I promote data analytics as a field to my TikTok viewers because it’s a great way for them to become financially mobile while doing easier work than they might find elsewhere.

Entering the field, I was surprised to find out how many people were able to break into technology through data analysis, without requiring a college degree. While I loved college and I think it’s a good thing, it’s too expensive. Someone willing to do the work to learn technical skills should be able to get a tech job if they can meet the job requirements with or without a degree, and data analytics is perfect for that.

I recommend the field because you can work from home while earning an above average salary, and I think it’s generally a rewarding job. However, although I say that anyone can enter the field, it is not easy.

It takes a fair amount of persistence to learn the skills required for the job, and it takes patience and determination when it comes to landing interviews and your first job offer. Landing your first job in most fields is challenging.

But, for those willing to work to improve their lives, the roadmap exists and it works; he did it for me.

You can pay tens of thousands of dollars for a college degree, or a comparable sum for a data analytics boot camp, but if you have the willpower, you can get into the field for free or almost free.

I used the one from Khan Academy free sql course, for example, one of the main tools for data analysis. I also used YouTube videos of alex the analystwhich produces tutorials on the main tools used by analysts: namely Tableau, Excel and Power BI.

I’m not opposed to paid bootcamps and courses in general, especially for those who thrive on structured learning. But it’s by no means necessary, making it a great field for people looking for a better work life and stronger finances.

It’s a field where I work from home, make more money, and talk to zero clients. In other words, I’m living my best life.