Python for Data Analysis Training Course

Duration 10 days 16 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Data Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-DA-087

Before you join: Participants should be comfortable working with tables, formulas, filters and basic charts in spreadsheets or a reporting tool.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Analysts often spend too much time reconciling spreadsheets, manually cleaning extracts and repeating monthly reporting steps. Python provides a practical way to combine data from operational systems, finance platforms, customer records and public sources; test the quality of those data; analyse patterns; and produce repeatable outputs. The value is not merely faster calculation. It is an auditable analysis process that colleagues can inspect, rerun and adapt when source data changes.

This instructor-led Python for Data Analysis Training Course develops the working skills needed to analyse structured and semi-structured data with Python. Participants use Jupyter notebooks, NumPy and pandas to import files, inspect data quality, transform columns, join datasets, calculate measures, analyse time series and create decision-ready charts. They also work with SQL query results, JSON API responses and text fields, then apply statistical methods appropriate for exploratory business analysis. Attention is given to reproducible notebook structure, validation checks, efficient code and clear communication of findings.

Teaching combines concise technical briefings with guided case work based on realistic data problems, including customer retention, procurement spend, service delivery and financial performance. Participants build code and analyses throughout both weeks rather than waiting for a final theory section. They leave with a completed analytical notebook, reusable data preparation functions, quality checks, visualisation patterns and a practical plan for applying Python to a reporting or analytical process at work.

The course suits professionals who already work with data and need to move beyond spreadsheet-only analysis. It is particularly relevant to analysts, reporting specialists, finance professionals, operational teams and data practitioners who need reliable methods for handling larger, messier or more frequently refreshed datasets.

What you will be able to do

  • Build reproducible Jupyter notebooks for data import, analysis and reporting
  • Clean and transform tabular datasets using pandas DataFrame operations
  • Validate dataset structure, completeness, consistency and business-rule conformance
  • Combine relational datasets using joins, concatenation, reshaping and aggregation
  • Produce exploratory analyses using descriptive statistics, segmentation and visualisation
  • Analyse time-series, text and JSON data using appropriate Python methods
  • Write efficient, testable Python functions for repeatable analytical workflows
  • Present a complete business analysis notebook with findings, assumptions and recommendations

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Reduced manual spreadsheet preparation through reusable pandas workflows
  • Stronger credibility when explaining data quality limitations and analytical assumptions
  • Ability to analyse larger datasets than typical spreadsheet models accommodate
  • Portable notebook portfolio demonstrating practical Python analysis capability
  • Faster production of repeatable reporting and ad hoc investigation outputs

For your organisation

  • Reduced reporting cycle time through scripted data preparation and refresh processes
  • More consistent metrics through documented transformations and validation checks
  • Improved auditability of analytical assumptions, calculations and source-data treatment
  • Better use of operational, financial and customer data held across separate systems
  • Lower dependence on error-prone manual spreadsheet consolidation

Course modules

16 modules over 10 days

Participants can set up and organise a reproducible Python analysis notebook.

  • JupyterLab workspace, kernels and notebooks for structured analytical work
  • Python environments managed with virtual environments and package requirements
  • Notebook sections separating assumptions, preparation, analysis and conclusions
  • Markdown documentation for sources, definitions, decisions and analytical caveats
  • Relative file paths and project folders for portable analysis
  • Imports, aliases and version recording for reproducible notebook execution

Participants can write core Python statements used in data analysis scripts.

  • Variables, numeric types, strings and Boolean values in Python
  • Lists, tuples, dictionaries and sets for analytical data structures
  • Conditional logic using if, elif and else statements
  • For loops and list comprehensions for repeated transformations
  • Functions with parameters, return values and descriptive docstrings
  • Exceptions handled through try, except and explicit error messages

Participants can use NumPy arrays for efficient numerical calculations.

  • NumPy arrays, dimensions, shapes and compatible data types
  • Vectorised arithmetic replacing row-by-row calculation loops
  • Boolean masks for selecting observations meeting defined conditions
  • Array indexing and slicing for targeted numerical inspection
  • Broadcasting rules applied to rates, adjustments and normalisation
  • Missing numerical values handled with NaN-aware NumPy functions

Participants can inspect, select and manipulate pandas DataFrames confidently.

  • Series and DataFrames as labelled structures for tabular data
  • DataFrame inspection using head, info, describe and sample
  • Column selection with brackets, loc and iloc indexers
  • Rows filtered through Boolean conditions and compound logical expressions
  • Indexes, labels and sorted values managed for reliable selection
  • Method chaining for readable multi-step DataFrame transformations

Participants can import common data files and assess their fitness for analysis.

  • CSV and Excel imports configured for delimiters, sheets and headers
  • Dates, currencies and categorical fields assigned appropriate data types
  • Missing-value patterns profiled with counts, percentages and visual checks
  • Duplicate records identified using business keys and row comparisons
  • Range checks, allowed values and referential checks test data quality
  • Data dictionary fields mapped to business definitions and source systems

Participants can clean inconsistent fields and create analysis-ready variables.

  • String methods standardise names, codes, whitespace and case
  • Regular expressions extract structured values from inconsistent text fields
  • Missing values treated through imputation, flags, exclusion and documentation
  • Datetime methods derive periods, durations, weekdays and reporting months
  • Categorical mappings convert source codes into meaningful analytical groups
  • Calculated columns create margins, rates, bands and business indicators

Participants can combine multiple datasets and produce reliable summary tables.

  • Merge operations join datasets using validated primary and foreign keys
  • Join cardinality checks prevent accidental row multiplication during merges
  • Concatenation appends compatible extracts from periods, regions or systems
  • Groupby aggregations calculate counts, sums, averages and weighted measures
  • Pivot tables summarise measures by segment, period and category
  • Melt and pivot reshape wide and long reporting structures

Participants can investigate distributions, outliers and meaningful business segments.

  • Frequency tables reveal category concentration and sparse classifications
  • Distribution measures include median, quartiles, skewness and interquartile range
  • Outliers investigated using IQR rules, z-scores and domain thresholds
  • Cross-tabulations compare rates, volumes and values between segments
  • Quantile binning creates customer, supplier and performance groups
  • Correlation matrices identify candidate relationships requiring further investigation

Participants can create charts that communicate evidence clearly and accurately.

  • Matplotlib figures control axes, labels, legends, annotations and layouts
  • Seaborn charts show distributions, comparisons, relationships and category patterns
  • Chart selection matches analytical questions, measurement scales and audience needs
  • Time-series lines distinguish trends, seasonal patterns and reporting periods
  • Bar charts ordered by value expose ranking and concentration
  • Titles and annotations state findings without overstating analytical certainty

Participants can apply and interpret core statistical methods for business questions.

  • Sampling concepts distinguish population measures from sample estimates
  • Confidence intervals quantify uncertainty around means, proportions and differences
  • Hypothesis tests compare groups using stated null and alternative hypotheses
  • T-tests assess mean differences under appropriate distributional assumptions
  • Chi-square tests examine association between categorical business variables
  • Correlation and simple regression distinguish association from causal claims

Participants can prepare and analyse dated data for trend and forecast assessment.

  • Datetime indexes support resampling, rolling calculations and period alignment
  • Monthly and weekly resampling aggregates transaction-level time-series records
  • Rolling averages smooth volatile measures for operational trend review
  • Lagged variables compare current performance against prior periods
  • Seasonality inspected through grouped periods, decomposition and visual patterns
  • Forecast accuracy assessed using MAE, RMSE and percentage error measures

Participants can extract useful analytical fields from text and JSON data sources.

  • JSON structures parsed into dictionaries, lists and normalised DataFrames
  • API requests retrieve paginated data with parameters and response checks
  • Text cleaning removes punctuation, stop words and inconsistent encoding
  • Token counts identify recurring terms within comments and descriptions
  • Keyword flags classify records using transparent rule-based logic
  • Nested JSON fields flattened while preserving identifiers and relationships

Participants can integrate SQL query outputs into a Python analysis workflow.

  • SQL query results loaded into DataFrames for further analysis
  • SELECT, WHERE and GROUP BY reduce unnecessary data extraction
  • Parameterized queries separate query logic from input values
  • Database grain assessed before joining transaction and dimension tables
  • Python transformations documented alongside SQL extraction assumptions
  • Reconciliation compares extracted totals against source-system control totals

Participants can structure analytical code for reuse, checking and efficient execution.

  • Functions isolate repeated cleaning, validation and calculation logic
  • Assertions test expected row counts, ranges and permitted categories
  • Unit-test principles applied to deterministic analytical functions
  • Vectorised pandas operations replace slow row-wise apply patterns
  • Memory usage reduced through selected columns and efficient dtypes
  • Logging records processing stages, exceptions and data-quality outcomes

Participants can package analytical outputs for review, reuse and controlled handover.

  • Executive summaries distinguish findings, evidence, limitations and recommended actions
  • Notebook outputs exported as HTML, PDF and reproducible source files
  • Data lineage records source files, transformations, owners and refresh dates
  • Version control principles protect approved analytical code and documentation
  • Personal data minimisation guides field selection and sharing decisions
  • Peer review checklists assess logic, readability, evidence and reproducibility

Participants can build, review and present a complete Python analysis notebook addressing a business decision.

  • Business question translated into measurable analytical objectives and decision criteria
  • Source datasets imported, profiled and documented with explicit quality findings
  • Cleaning, joining and feature creation performed through reusable Python code
  • Exploratory analysis tests patterns, segments, exceptions and plausible explanations
  • Charts and statistics communicate findings with stated assumptions and limitations
  • Peer review checks reproducibility, validation evidence and interpretation quality
  • Final presentation recommends actions supported by notebook outputs and evidence

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Reproducible Python analysis notebook template
  2. pandas data-cleaning function library
  3. Data quality validation checklist
  4. Dataset join and reconciliation model
  5. Analytical visualisation pattern set
  6. Workplace Python application plan

Who should attend

  • Data Analyst — needs repeatable methods for cleaning, joining and analysing operational data
  • Business Intelligence Analyst — wants Python capability beyond dashboard and SQL workflows
  • Financial Analyst — needs auditable analysis of transactions, forecasts and performance measures
  • Operations Analyst — needs to investigate service, process and supply-chain data efficiently
  • Reporting Specialist — wants to replace manual spreadsheet preparation with reusable code
  • Data Scientist — needs stronger pandas, validation and analytical notebook discipline

Skills and tools covered

Pandas data wranglingData quality validationExploratory data analysisStatistical analysisAnalytical visualisationReproducible notebooks

Tools and standards

Python, JupyterLab, pandas, NumPy

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings followed by guided coding, case analysis and structured peer review. Participants work with realistic CSV, Excel, SQL and JSON data extracts, diagnosing quality issues before preparing and analysing them. Group discussions compare alternative methods for joins, aggregation, visualisation and statistical interpretation. Trainers provide code patterns and review notebook structure, naming and validation logic. Application planning links the final analysis to a live reporting, operational or decision-support need.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should be comfortable working with tables, formulas, filters and basic charts in spreadsheets or a reporting tool. They should understand rows, columns, data types, percentages and simple descriptive measures such as averages and counts. Prior exposure to SQL is useful but not essential. Some basic Python familiarity, such as variables, lists and simple functions, is expected; this is not a first programming course. Advanced mathematics, machine learning experience, software engineering experience and prior use of pandas are not required.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should already understand basic Python concepts such as variables, lists, conditions and simple functions. The course develops these skills for analysis rather than teaching programming from first principles.

Bring a laptop capable of running Python and JupyterLab, plus any non-sensitive sample data or reporting problems you want to consider. Installation guidance can be provided before the course.

It is designed for analysts, reporting specialists, finance and operations professionals, and early-career data practitioners. Participants should already be comfortable working with structured data in spreadsheets, SQL or reporting tools.

This course concentrates on practical data preparation, analysis, validation and communication using pandas and related libraries. It does not focus on application development, algorithms or advanced predictive modelling.

Participants can use the notebook patterns to automate recurring data preparation, investigate exceptions, reconcile datasets and improve reporting analysis. The final application plan identifies a suitable workplace process or analysis for Python adoption.

The first week establishes notebook practice, Python foundations, pandas and data preparation while participants begin producing analyses. The second week adds statistics, time series, text and API data, performance, reporting and the end-to-end capstone.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.