New skills framework enables companies to develop talent with data analytics skills

Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet and the Analytics Institute have launched a new national ‘Data Analytics Skills Framework for Business’ supported by Skillnet Ireland.

Enabling organisations to rapidly develop data skills, the framework will provide a range of new pathways from foundation to leadership levels.

In 2022 alone, it’s expected that 1,000 staff in companies throughout Ireland will become data competent through the new accelerated programme. Participating companies will be co-funded by the Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet, helping them to rapidly develop cross-organisational data skills at scale.

Building data expertise

With data increasingly hailed as the most important asset a company can possess and in a tight labour market for data scientists, organisations are increasingly investing in talent development for their staff.

The new Data Skills Framework for Business provides accelerated data skills for non-data scientists, so that all groups within an organisation can effectively utilise data within their role.

Designed for busy professionals, the programmes are delivered through a blend of online and classroom settings. With a focus on practitioner led training, participants will learn the management and technical skills to thrive in what is the fastest growing technology in the world.

Discussing the new framework, Dave Flynn, Director of Business Networks at Skillnet Ireland said: “The new data skills framework will open new pathways for employees to develop internally and futureproof Irish businesses and talent for this fast-changing technology.”

Bridging the talent gap

Highlighting the need for all staff to develop data skills, Maire Hunt, Director of Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet, said: “For organisations to become truly data-driven, data needs to be democratised across the organisation, with all staff developing practical data skills. The new Data Analytics Skills Framework for Business enables companies to accelerate data skills and become truly data driven in navigating their way through digital change.”

Chief Executive of the Analytics Institute Lorcan Malone pointed out the Framework will be instrumental in meeting the exceptional current demand for skilled staff in analytics and AI: “Our member companies are finding it really challenging to fill critical roles. We are delighted that Digital Skillnet is partnering with us to help us meet this challenge. Our new Data Analytics Skills Framework covers data skills both from a business and a technical perspective.”

Malone noted that the Institute’s member companies are “ready and excited” to deploy the programmes in the framework. “Our core purpose is to develop professionals who can ‘speak data’ to data scientists while ‘speaking business’ to executives. Integrating those skills can drive significant business value,” he added.

Learn more

The programmes will be customised for companies to ensure context relevance and successful participants will be awarded Professional Certification by the Analytics Institute.

To learn more about the Framework and Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet, visit digitalskillnet.ie