Monthly Archives: February 2020

Employability Prospects of Data Science in India.

The past two decades have seen India as one of the most sought-after regions for outsourcing. However, there have been significant developments across various industries with the interests of global enterprises on the rise. These organizations have been setting up development as well as data science divisions in the country in pursuit of new opportunities, smarter methodologies, productive operations and client-centric operations.

A study by NASSCOM suggests that the big data industry in the country will constitute 32% of the global market at a valuation of $16 billion by the end of 2025. The study also came with a proposal for incorporating big data and data analytics in the curriculum of skill development programs & initiatives. This proposal is aimed at preparing the youth for the massive influx of jobs in the field.

As several tech giants and startups have started exploring the prospects of ‘Big Data’ and Data Analytics, data sciences are expected to grow in the near future. This provides significant employment prospects for qualified data scientists.

According to an Economic Times report, 97,000 jobs in data science in India remained vacant because of the lack of a skilled workforce. The most significant contributors to this figure were the BFSI, energy, pharmaceuticals & healthcare and e-commerce industries.

To add to this, estimates suggest that the country is set to add 1.5 lakh new jobs in the field by the end of 2020. These openings largely span across Tier 1 cities such as Bengaluru- 24%, Delhi (NCR)- 22% & Mumbai- 15%.

Some of the major firms contributing to this figure are Accenture, Amazon, KPMG, Ernst & Young, Hexaware Technologies, Dell International & Deloitte.

Great Learning’s upskilling programs like Post graduate program in Data Science & Business Analytics (PGP-DSBA) aims to bridge the gap between the demand and supply of jobs in fields such as Data Science. Its learning collaborations with esteemed schools like Stanford & Purdue grants a platform for Indian professionals to progress at the same rates as their counterparts in developed nations.

With the increase in FDI in recent years, more and more companies are looking to bolster capabilities in the domain. This has resulted in thousands of vacancies. But the lack of talent continues to be a roadblock in this pursuit.

The good thing is that most of these openings do not have high experience requirements (less than five years). They are thus enabling freshers to pursue them and career-changers from traditional domains.

A Guide to Improving Your Credit Score Using Catalogues

Unless you’re paying in cash, most large purchases require taking out a line of credit. However, lenders won’t consider offering you a loan if your credit score is less than desirable.

A low credit score may make it nearly impossible to buy a home, purchase a new car, get a credit card, open a bank account, or even borrow money in the event of an emergency.

Even if you’re struggling with a low credit score, all hope isn’t lost. There are ways to improve your credit score over the course of several months. Credit catalogues are one way to do just this. It’s possible to use catalogues to help build or boost your credit.

What Determines Your Credit Score?

If you’ve ever borrowed from a bank or agency, you develop credit. Using credit cards also builds credit. A credit score is given to every borrower, no matter how much or how little credit they have. This number tells potential lenders if a borrower is a low or a high risk. The lower the score, the less likely you are to be approved for loans in the future.

Your borrowing history is reported to several credit reference agencies. This includes all credit cards, personal loans and financing. If you make your repayments on time, your credit score will improve. Regularly using your credit also boosts your score. Things that may reduce your score include late payments, large debt balances, and unused accounts.

So, How can Catalogues Help?

Before determining if credit catalogues are right for you, it’s important to fully understand what they are and how they work. Credit catalogues help people shop and make purchases. Consumers purchase a variety of goods from catalogues. Instead of paying for their purchases right away, they are offered a line of credit to pay for their purchases over a set time frame. Each catalogue offers different repayment options, including:

Before making a purchase from a catalogue, consumers need to learn which of these credit options is offered. Each line of credit comes with its own specific rules for repayment. Interest rates, fees, and penalties are also set by each catalogue.

How Can Catalogues Improve Credit?

If your credit score is low, you may feel discouraged. Many people think they can’t do anything to improve their credit, but this isn’t the case. For many, shopping from catalogues may help improve their credit score. There are many reasons why this works, including:

  • Regular Line of Credit

Lenders want to know how responsibly you use lines of credit. By opening a credit line with a catalogue, you’re taking the first step towards improving your credit score. Simply using your credit on a regular basis can boost your score in the long run.

  • Shows Responsibility

When you take out a line of credit from a catalogue, you’re responsible for repaying the debt. Every repayment you make is reported to the credit reference agencies. When you make your repayments on time, this shows you are a responsible borrower.

  • Reduces Risk

Consumers with more favourable credit scores are offered premium credit lines. By opening and properly maintaining a line of credit from a catalogue, you’re proving to the credit reference agencies that you’re a low risk borrower. This increases the likelihood of being offered large loans with low interest rates and fewer fees in the future.

However, there are a few things to note about improving your credit score. First and foremost, it takes time to rebuild your credit.

Simply using catalogues will not improve your score overnight. Instead, it will take several months and a lot of diligence to raise it. You must earn your trust back as a borrower.

Enjoy shopping from catalogues but take your spending seriously. When it’s time to make a repayment, do so on time. Never miss a payment. This alone is the best way to improve your score.

What Are the Drawbacks of Catalogues?

Catalogues themselves don’t have many drawbacks but failing to use them correctly may hurt your credit score even more. Here are some things to know when using catalogues:

  • Higher Interest Rates

Each catalogue sets their own interest rates. If you’re applying for a loan with low or no credit, you should expect a higher interest rate than is offered to someone with an exceptional credit history. On average, you can expect a rate of around 38 percent per annum. However, some borrowers may be offered rates as low as 16 percent, while others may find themselves paying even higher rates, often near 60 percent. If you don’t like the terms of a credit line, don’t accept the offer. Apply for credit with another catalogue instead.

  • Late Payments

As previously stated, you must make all your repayments on time. Each repayment is reported to the credit reference agencies. Whenever you are late or miss a repayment, it acts as a strike against your credit score.

  • Large Balances

Simply carrying a balance won’t harm your credit, but if you regularly carry a balance that is too high, it can lower your score. Credit reference agencies weigh your balances against the amount of credit you have available. If you are carrying higher balances, try to get a credit line increase to reduce your debt to credit ratio.

  • Unused Accounts

Having a large credit line can also harm your credit score if the account goes inactive. This is even true if you have an account with a zero balance. To prove you are a responsible borrower, you need to use your credit lines. When working to improve your credit score, be sure to regularly make purchases with your credit. If you are not planning on using an account anymore, it may be in your best interest to close it.

If you’ve been denied a loan because of your low credit score, using catalogues is perhaps the best way to improve your credit. Have reasonable expectations, and realise that it will take time to raise your credit score.

Be diligent in making repayments. Use your credit line wisely. Keep your credit line open and active for a long time. Even though it will most likely take a few months to see results, in the long run, your credit score will improve by using catalogues.

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4 Things to Consider When Buying a Wood Burning Stove

Wood heat stoves are gaining in popularity all around the world. Apart from being cost-effective they are also energy-efficient.

The rising demand for wood burning stoves has led to the emergence of many options that can make it tough for you to make your choice. However, here are a couple of things that you need to consider to make sure the choice that you are making is the best one:

Stove type

The type of stove you use depends on the purpose you want to use it for. You can check out pellet stoves, multi-fuel stoves, stoves with manual ignition, or stoves with automatic ignition. Pellet stoves are easier to install; but you will have to go for a chimney or make arrangements for venting. Multi-fuel stoves are good if you can’t find the wood necessary for your stove. They can burn corn, cherry pits, soy beans, and many other items.

Stove size

Size is also something you have to consider before buying a wood burning stove.  You will have to provide for the heating space, considering the number and size of blowers included in the unit. There are certain requirements such as distance to be maintained from the walls and combustibles. Some might also need a certain ceiling height and floor protector. You will find all this information in the product manual.

Cost and Maintenance Considerations

Cost is definitely one of the main deciding factors when buying wood heat stoves or fireplace inserts. Apart from the purchase cost, you should also consider the cost of fuel and the installation materials.  Check how easy it is to get fuel in your area.

Maintenance should be easy and minimal. You might have to empty the ash bin regularly and check once in a while for creosote buildup; but that’s about it. Make sure you clean your chimney once a year, if you don’t have a vent-free stove.

Restrictions

One other thing to check for, before buying a wood heat stove is to make sure it satisfies the codes and regulations of your building, local municipality, and state. Not all wood burning stoves are approved in all states of USA.

Explore your options, check out the features, ask for a demo, and buy a quality unit from a reputed manufacturer. Get a certified professional to install your unit. Make sure you have their number to call for any service or repair that your stove might need.

5 Uses of Wood Burning Stove

Whether you want to cook your meals or heat up your home, a wood burning stove can work out really inexpensive. And since wood is a renewable resource, a wood burning stove saves not just your money, but also the environment.

There is another benefit of purchasing a wood burning stove. It is a multipurpose tool that can make you self-reliant. Here is what you can do with wood burning stoves:

Heating the house

If you live in a cold climate, you will need some appliance to keep yourself warm, especially during winter times. You can choose from a fire place, an HVAC system, a gas furnace, or a wood burning stove.  But if you wish to keep your home warm throughout the day, you can go for a combination of two of these options. For instance, you can switch on your HVAC system keeping your thermostat at about 58 degrees F, when you are away. Once you are back home, you can fire up your wood stove. You can get good wood burning fireplace inserts too.

Cooking Food

The best part of a wood heat stove is that it has a large flat surface. This will make it easier for you to set pots of bigger sizes too. Also since a wood heat stove is compatible with many kinds of utensils, you can enjoy a variety of options. You can even create your own oven on top of your wooden stove.

Drying laundry

During the rainy season when it becomes difficult to dry your laundry, your wood heat stove can come as a blessing to you. All that you need to do is place a drying rack behind or on top of your stove and put up your laundry there for drying. This can be a great alternative for drying your laundry, should your dryer break down at any point of time.

Dehydrating food

If you wish to preserve your fruits, vegetables, and meats for longer, you might have to dehydrate them to remove their moisture. This is best done by hanging your foods behind your wood heat stove.

Heating Water

If you are out camping, a wood heat stove can prove to be very useful. You can heat large quantities of water for bathing. You can also keep your tea pot on it to make tea. If you remove its lid while heating, the evaporating water will work in humidifying your space.

There are many more uses you can find for your wood burning stove. Not only does it add to your cooking convenience, it will also heat up your space keeping you comfortable. In short, it offers excellent value for your money.

Wood Window Shutters – Pros and Cons

Whether you want to control the amount of sunlight that enters your space, enjoy privacy and security, or get some protection against bad weather, window shutters should be your first choice. Apart from keeping away damage and unwanted intruders, window shutters can also enhance the aesthetics of your building like the Spanish tiles do.

There are different types of window shutters available in the market. You can choose from louvered shutters, hurricane shutters, plantation shutters, solid shutters, and café style shutters. They come in a range of colors to suit your décor.

Wood window shutters are best for interiors as well as exteriors. While most exterior ones are fixed and don’t close, you can get a lot of decorative yet functional options in inside shutters.

Before you make your decision on the kind of shutters you want to go for, it is better to understand the pros and cons of wooden shutters. Here are a few for you to consider:

Pros:

They are attractive

When compared to traditional blinds and various window treatments, wood shutters can look really attractive. Plain wood shutters are neat and go well with any room décor.

They offer extra protection

Wooden shutters can be adjusted to ensure the right amount of air enters your space. They offer good protection against the scorching heat of summer, while keeping away the cold winds in the winter.

They help control natural lighting

Whether you want to completely block the light or fine tune the amount of light that enters your home, wood window shutters can seem really useful.

They are easy to maintain

A light dusting is all that is needed to maintain your wooden shutters. On the days that you feel like doing some deep cleaning, you can gently wipe them with a wet cloth.

Wooden shutters are available in a variety of colors and stains. However, you can also paint them in a color of your choice. Check with the manufacturer before doing so.

Cons:

They are expensive

When compared to most other materials such as faux wood and composite, wooden shutters are quite expensive. But nothing can match the looks of real wood or the way it functions.

They offer limited protection against storm

If you live in a storm-prone area, you would be better off using shutters made out of fiberglass, aluminum or metal. They offer better protection against storms when compared to wooden ones.

Unsuitable for humid weather

You might notice warps and damaged finishes in your wooden shutters if the environment around you is too humid. You can then go for a hardwood variety that may not require touch-ups or replacements that frequently.

Essential Tips to Optimally Use Kitchen Appliances

As we use our kitchen appliances every day, we assume we are an expert when it comes to using them at their fullest but the fact is that most of us do not know how to effectively use the most common kitchen appliances hence we have listed below a few tips that will help you to optimally use the appliances.

Dishwasher:

If you are planning to run the dishwasher immediately, then you need not scrape off or pre-wash the dish but if you plan on running it later, then it is a good idea to just pre-wash the dishes with plain water and then place it in the dishwasher so that the food does not dry off and get stuck to the dishes. Run the dishwasher when it is full as it washes better when fully loaded. Make sure that the dirtiest dishes are at the center as those will be washed the best. The dishwasher itself can be cleaned by sprinkling baking soda at the bottom and running an entire cycle without dishes in it.

Cooktops:

Gas-tops are great for cooking but if you are looking for slow or low simmer cooking, then they might not be of much use. The solution is to buy a heat diffuser which will diffuse the gas burner’s heat and let the food in the pot simmer.

If your cooktop is made of glass, then you need to keep it clean by wiping it clean with water and dish soap when the cooktop is not hot. If something is stuck on the glass, then do not try to scrub it off but use a glass cleaner to clean it off.

Oven:

Make sure not to put any item inside the oven that can become bubbly and spill-over. If there is a spill inside the oven, then don’t wait for it to cool down but sprinkle salt on it and you can easily wipe it off as the oven cools down. You should always clean your self-cleaning oven whenever it gets dirty by following its self-cleaning feature. Do not use aluminum foil in the oven’s bottom as it may catch fire or damage your oven floor. Also, while using the oven, do not cover the top with anything.

Refrigerator:

Do not overload the fridge as it pressurizes the compressor to maintain the required temperature levels which decrease the life of the fridge. Change the filter and gaskets occasionally to prevent contamination. To avoid spills, use mats on each shelf so that if there is any spill incident, then you can remove the mat and clean it directly. In case there is a spill in one of the shelves, use baking soda and water to clean it as baking soda will absorb the nasty odor and the solution will remove grease.

Purchasing the best kitchen appliances for your kitchen is a great idea as it can make your life easier, but following these simple tips will help you get the most out of your appliances and also increase the life of them hence it is a win-win for you.