New Data School launched in Sydney

A new training college for data scientists has launched in Sydney, aiming to redress a significant skills shortage.

The apprenticeship-style learning program will offer Data School consultants career opportunities in the burgeoning data analytics sector.

The Data School was founded in 2015 in London and has since provided a consistent source of data analytics talent to over 30 customers in Europe and beyond. The team responsible for the UK-based Data School is now bringing the same training programs to Sydney in collaboration with MIP Australia, a leading Tableau and Alteryx partner.

Headquartered in Pyrmont, The Data School Australia will offer attendees a paid, two-year immersive learning and workplace secondment experience in data analytics.

The Data School consultants will receive a broad range of training from industry experts and practitioners from leading analytics and technology consultancy MIP Australia.

Formal learning, which will enable the trainees to graduate with industry certifications in Tableau Server, Tableau Desktop and Alteryx, will be augmented by placements in the financial services, retail and media markets.

There, consultants will have the opportunity to work on projects involving large and complex datasets alongside seasoned industry professionals.

This invaluable, real-world immersion will give them the opportunity to develop the ‘soft skills’ necessary to succeed in the data analytics sector, including project approach and design and client and stakeholder management.

Research from the Institute of Analytics Professionals of Australia says workers with high data literacy can enjoy significant financial rewards.

Analytics professionals, including data scientists, are employed across all industries and earn a median salary of $130,000 compared to the Australian average median salary of $84,000.

Moreover, Deloitte Access Economics predicts Australians with big data skills will earn almost $20,000 more on average over the next four years than they do today.

The Data School Australia head coach, Craig Dewar, said the focus of the program is to turn trainees into brilliant data analysts/scientists with the skills and experience to forge a lucrative career in this exciting sphere.

“Our school will look for prospective trainees who have a passion for data and a desire to learn,” he said.

“They don’t need to have a particular degree or background. We’re excited to play a role in developing and boosting Australia’s digital skills capability.”

According to IT research house Gartner, 80% of organisations will struggle to roll out data literacy competency programs within the next two years, as they realise their extreme deficiency in this space.

Right now, the use of data to drive decision-making remains limited to a small group of people. Highly trained analysts comb through large data stores and create meaningful reports that are shared with senior managers, but for the majority of workers, such a resource remains out of reach.

The Committee of Economic Development of Australia’s 2018 Economic and Political Overview report states that the data explosion is changing Australia’s economy and both the public and private sectors need to do more to capitalise on opportunities. McKinsey & Company estimates the benefits of rapid advances in data and analytics could add $220 billion to the Australian economy.

Recent years have seen exponential take-up of the Tableau and Alteryx data analytics programs in Australia and addressing local skill shortages around these technologies is a priority for the school, according to Dewar.

The Data School Australia will run three intakes a year — in April, August and December — with the first cohort of students set to commence in August.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Stuart Miles

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