Free learning links for DS basics

A social post is circulating a free starter kit for data skills, pointing beginners to Excel, Structured Query Language, Power BI and Python lessons that cost nothing to access. (x.com) The links in that bundle point to official or widely used training pages: Microsoft’s Excel help and templates, Mode’s Structured Query Language tutorials, Microsoft Learn’s Power BI paths, and Google for Developers’ Python class. (support.microsoft.com, mode.com, learn.microsoft.com, developers.google.com) For a beginner, those four tools cover the basic path of many entry-level data projects: spreadsheets for cleaning small files, Structured Query Language for pulling records from databases, Power BI for charts and dashboards, and Python for repeatable analysis. Microsoft says Power BI connects to data sources and turns them into reports, while Google says its Python class includes written lessons, videos and code exercises. (learn.microsoft.com, developers.google.com) Mode’s tutorial is built around a browser-based query editor, so learners can run Structured Query Language against sample data instead of only reading syntax rules. Its companion SQL School says it is aimed at people who “don’t know SQL at all” or want a refresher. (mode.com, sqlschool.modeanalytics.com) Microsoft’s Excel pages take a similar learn-by-doing approach. The company’s support site offers Excel how-to guides and training videos, and its template pages include ready-made spreadsheets that can double as portfolio starting points for budgets, trackers and charts. (support.microsoft.com, support.microsoft.com, support.microsoft.com) Power BI’s official training is split into short modules and longer learning paths. Microsoft Learn lists beginner material on getting data, shaping it, and building interactive visuals, and a separate directory published last month maps paths for new users, Excel users and report creators. (learn.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com) Google’s Python class is free, but it is not pitched at absolute beginners with no programming background. Google says the course is for people with “a little bit of programming experience,” and the materials include setup instructions, text lessons and exercises using Python 3. (developers.google.com, developers.google.com, developers.google.com) That makes the package more useful as a roadmap than as a single course. Someone building a first portfolio project could start with an Excel template, recreate the logic in Structured Query Language, visualize the result in Power BI, and then automate part of the workflow in Python. (support.microsoft.com, mode.com, learn.microsoft.com, developers.google.com) The post does not create new courses or credentials, but it packages several long-running free resources in one place. For beginners trying to move from tutorials to sample projects, that kind of list can save time on what to learn first. (x.com, support.microsoft.com, mode.com, learn.microsoft.com)