Meeting Industry Needs through a Two-Year Data Science Technician Education Program

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According to the Business-Higher Education Forum, well over half of employers surveyed expect that candidates with data science and analytics skills will get preference during the hiring process for job openings in 2021. In fact, the data science technician is predicted to be one of the fastest growing jobs by 2030, as employers address the velocity, volume, value, variety, and veracity of the Big Data that inundates businesses. However, less than a quarter of college and university leaders report that their graduates will have those skills. To help address this gap, this project aims to develop Florida's first Associate of Science in Data Science program. With the support of higher education partners, government entities, and industry partners, the project will develop educational and career pathways to prepare students for data science roles, particularly in entry and middle-skill data science jobs. Preparation of these students will help to address the growing state-wide and national demand for a data science workforce. The project includes professional development for college faculty to adapt the A.S. program for implementation at other institutions, thus building state-wide capacity in data science education. Because the data science technician program will be on-line, it will be accessible to a broader range of students, including non-traditional students and incumbent workers. This A.S. degree framework has the potential to serve as a model to enhance the state's educational infrastructure and will be available to 28 institutions in the Florida College System and publicly shared.The project will investigate the development of students' knowledge of data science, technical skills, and analytical abilities to provide entry- or technician-level career pathways. The data science technician program will enroll 100 undergraduate students who will have the opportunity to earn up to six industry-recognized certifications and two college credit certifications in data science as they move toward completing their A.S. degree. The project will develop online formats and resources for each course to expand student access and provide distance learning options through both hybrid and online courses for rural technician education. The data science technician courses will advance students' knowledge and competencies in core foundational data science skills including statistical software, data management and analysis, and data visualization. Sixty college faculty across multiple disciplines will participate in forty hours of faculty development in data science, to enable the data science technician program to be replicated at other institutions. The project team will measure the impact of the data science technician courses on student learning and determine their effectiveness in meeting industry partners' needs for qualified data science technicians. The team will also work with industry partners to explore opportunities for internships and career employment as a data science technician. In addition to the A.S. Degree in Data Science Technology, the program will also feature milestone-based recognition, such as local certifications and industry certifications, which will serve as motivational instruments. The project will emphasize recruitment of students from groups that are underrepresented in data science, including women, veterans, students from underrepresented minorities, and adult learners. This project is funded by NSF's Advanced Technological Education program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the high-technology fields that drive our nation's economy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.