Preparing tomorrow's specialists in data management and analysis
The University of Regensburg of Applied Sciences (OTH Regensburg) and Birmingham City University (BCU) have recently formed partnerships with software company SAS, aiming to integrate SAS certification training into academic programmes and teacher training.
The partnership between BCU and SAS, announced in early December, will see the embedding of SAS certification training into a new Master of Science (MSc) in Business Intelligence. This move is expected to significantly enhance the employability of graduates in the field of data analysis.
Dr Kathy Maitland, a lecturer in computer science at BCU, has emphasised the importance of SAS certification in improving employability. The finance industry, traditionally known for its high demand for mathematicians and statisticians, is now joined by other sectors in seeking data analysts with robust technology knowledge.
Indeed, the role of a data analyst is becoming increasingly dependent on technology skills. As a result, supermarkets and various businesses are now looking for individuals with knowledge of SAS, IBM, or SAP's software for data analysis.
The Society of Data Miners, a professional body created by Tom Khabaza, analytics manager at BSkyB's customer intelligence division, SkyIQ, is another driving force behind this shift. Khabaza believes that analytics should be considered a profession with a professional status, akin to other established fields such as law or medicine.
The Society aims to increase the benefits of data mining to society, government, and commerce, and to establish career paths for analytics experts in the future. This goal will be achieved through education, ensuring schools, universities, and business schools teach students about analytics and its broad terms as a solution to business problems.
Khabaza is also working towards the establishment of certification for analytics professionals, which may help to standardise the field and improve its standing.
The Society's efforts come at a time when the demand for data analysts is on the rise. Jobs related to 'big data' or 'data science' have increased by 43% in the past year, according to recent statistics. The statistic that 90% of the data ever created by humanity was made in the past two years is often cited, possibly originating from IBM.
With the rapid growth of data and the increasing importance of data analysis in various industries, the Society of Data Miners and its partners are poised to play a crucial role in shaping the future of data analytics education and employment. Khabaza hopes that, in time, analysts will be able to take pride in their work, knowing they are contributing to innovative solutions that drive progress and improve the lives of people around the world.
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