Meeting the Demand for Data Professionals Presented at : IASSIST/IFDO 2005 Edinburgh May 2005 Presented at : IASSIST/IFDO 2005 Edinburgh May 2005 February 11, 2004 Jane Fry Carleton University And Ernie Boyko Retired Statistics Canada and Nesstar Americas

OutlineOutline u Background for this session u Nature of the demand for data professionals u Strategies for meeting the demand u Using student resources u Wrap-up u Background for this session u Nature of the demand for data professionals u Strategies for meeting the demand u Using student resources u Wrap-up IASSIST 2005

Background: Why this session? u Staff changes are inevitable u IASSIST list discussion on the ‘accidental data librarian’ u IASSIST workshop u Sharing a Canadian training initiative u How to use students to help fill the gap and train graduates u Staff changes are inevitable u IASSIST list discussion on the ‘accidental data librarian’ u IASSIST workshop u Sharing a Canadian training initiative u How to use students to help fill the gap and train graduates IASSIST 2005

Nature of the demand for data professionals u Age profile of existing staff…the renewal of IASSIST u Promotions and career changes u Growth of data services u Need to train other staff in the data service institutions u Seasonal work loads The bottom line is that we need to be able to have a steady flow of data professionals u Age profile of existing staff…the renewal of IASSIST u Promotions and career changes u Growth of data services u Need to train other staff in the data service institutions u Seasonal work loads The bottom line is that we need to be able to have a steady flow of data professionals IASSIST 2005

Options for meeting the demand for data professionals u Hiring new graduates? v From library schools? v From Social Science programs? v What criteria should we use? u Hiring from other data centres? v Raiding or evolving career paths? v Competitive processes u Hiring new graduates? v From library schools? v From Social Science programs? v What criteria should we use? u Hiring from other data centres? v Raiding or evolving career paths? v Competitive processes IASSIST 2005

Options for meeting the demand for data professionals Cont’d u Training staff from other areas v Do they want to ‘do data’? v What should you be looking for? u Using students v Case study will be presented u Training staff from other areas v Do they want to ‘do data’? v What should you be looking for? u Using students v Case study will be presented IASSIST 2005

Profile of a Pan Canadian Training Experience u Canada’s Data Liberation Initiative (DLI) created a huge demand for data professionals u Went from ‘zero to 60’ in a very short time u Used peer-to-peer training approach in 1997 to launch DLI u In 2003, launched a second ‘Training the Trainer’ initiative (TtT) u Canada’s Data Liberation Initiative (DLI) created a huge demand for data professionals u Went from ‘zero to 60’ in a very short time u Used peer-to-peer training approach in 1997 to launch DLI u In 2003, launched a second ‘Training the Trainer’ initiative (TtT) IASSIST 2005

Overview of TtT u Recognized need for next generation of leaders u Candidates chosen by regional training co-ordinators u Three-day leadership conference u Emphasis on skill-building and community u Recognized need for next generation of leaders u Candidates chosen by regional training co-ordinators u Three-day leadership conference u Emphasis on skill-building and community IASSIST 2005

Carleton University Data Centre uOur Staffing Situation  2 1 / 3 Full Time  5 Part Time (total of 60 hrs/wk)  1 Research Assistant (total 10 hrs/wk) uOur Work Situation  We only do data  We do not do maps, gov docs, GIS, or reference questions – these are all referred elsewhere uOur Staffing Situation  2 1 / 3 Full Time  5 Part Time (total of 60 hrs/wk)  1 Research Assistant (total 10 hrs/wk) uOur Work Situation  We only do data  We do not do maps, gov docs, GIS, or reference questions – these are all referred elsewhere IASSIST 2005

Using Students uWhy use them?  They help clients  They do the ‘grunt’ work  They cover the desk when FT staff are absent uWho are they?  3 rd year Undergrads with a Social Science background  They must have taken a 2 nd year Stats course  They must know SPSS. uWhy use them?  They help clients  They do the ‘grunt’ work  They cover the desk when FT staff are absent uWho are they?  3 rd year Undergrads with a Social Science background  They must have taken a 2 nd year Stats course  They must know SPSS. IASSIST 2005

Using Students (cont’d) uWhere do they come from?  When we do class presentations we make an announcement  Through word of mouth  Some of our regular clients uWhat do they do?  Primary task – to help clients  Secondary task – to make data sets ready for public use uWhere do they come from?  When we do class presentations we make an announcement  Through word of mouth  Some of our regular clients uWhat do they do?  Primary task – to help clients  Secondary task – to make data sets ready for public use IASSIST 2005

Training the Students u Learning Curve v very steep, so be gentle and don’t scare them off! u Schedule v Short shifts for the first few weeks (2-4 hr) v 1 student at a time v I do all the training u Learning Curve v very steep, so be gentle and don’t scare them off! u Schedule v Short shifts for the first few weeks (2-4 hr) v 1 student at a time v I do all the training IASSIST 2005

Training the Students (cont’d) u Exercises v Training book - listing all the procedures v Subset Exercises – based on real life subsets, with and without errors v Cheat Sheets – beside each computer listing the most commonly used commands u Treasure Hunt v To familiarize the students with our holdings u Exercises v Training book - listing all the procedures v Subset Exercises – based on real life subsets, with and without errors v Cheat Sheets – beside each computer listing the most commonly used commands u Treasure Hunt v To familiarize the students with our holdings IASSIST 2005

The Other Student u Who is it? v A Grad student in the Social Sciences v Must have taken advanced Stats courses u Where do we get him/her from? v Recommendation from profs v Former Data Centre employees v Former Clients u Training v Same as the undergrad students u Who is it? v A Grad student in the Social Sciences v Must have taken advanced Stats courses u Where do we get him/her from? v Recommendation from profs v Former Data Centre employees v Former Clients u Training v Same as the undergrad students IASSIST 2005

The Other Student (cont’d) u What do they do? v Statistical Consulting for Undergrads, Grads, Profs v Wide range of questions answered – from very basic (How do I Use SPSS?) to more advanced (What is ANOVA?) to “Help, I don’t know what I’m doing!” u They do Not do assignments u How is Consulting done? v 1 hour appointments, booked in advance v The students can come alone or in groups u What do they do? v Statistical Consulting for Undergrads, Grads, Profs v Wide range of questions answered – from very basic (How do I Use SPSS?) to more advanced (What is ANOVA?) to “Help, I don’t know what I’m doing!” u They do Not do assignments u How is Consulting done? v 1 hour appointments, booked in advance v The students can come alone or in groups IASSIST 2005

Benefits of Hiring Students u For them v On-campus job with flexible schedule v Not stressful or physically demanding v Increases their knowledge of computer programs v Increases their knowledge of Stats v Gives them valuable skills to be used in the job market v A wonderful place to work! u For them v On-campus job with flexible schedule v Not stressful or physically demanding v Increases their knowledge of computer programs v Increases their knowledge of Stats v Gives them valuable skills to be used in the job market v A wonderful place to work! IASSIST 2005

Benefits of Hiring Students (cont’d) u For us v An investment in the future of the Data Centre v Allows the Data Centre to serve more clients v Allows us to increase our holdings because of the work the students do on the datasets v Allows the Data Centre to be open a 40 hour week – even when the Full-time staff are away u For us v An investment in the future of the Data Centre v Allows the Data Centre to serve more clients v Allows us to increase our holdings because of the work the students do on the datasets v Allows the Data Centre to be open a 40 hour week – even when the Full-time staff are away IASSIST 2005

Drawbacks of Hiring Students u For them v lack of excitement v very quiet, especially in the summer u For us v a Very big time investment - the training is Very time consuming u For them v lack of excitement v very quiet, especially in the summer u For us v a Very big time investment - the training is Very time consuming IASSIST 2005

Payoff of Hiring Students u Helps to meet the future demand for Data Professionals v In Data Centres v In the Workplace oA number of our former students are currently in a job for which we have trained them u Helps to meet the future demand for Data Professionals v In Data Centres v In the Workplace oA number of our former students are currently in a job for which we have trained them IASSIST 2005

In Summary … uMeeting the demand for Data professionals is an ongoing process. uThere are ways to meet the demand, such as: vHolding Train-the Trainer sessions vTraining students at the Undergraduate level uMeeting the demand for Data professionals is an ongoing process. uThere are ways to meet the demand, such as: vHolding Train-the Trainer sessions vTraining students at the Undergraduate level IASSIST 2005

Thank you very much Jane Fry, Carleton University, Ottawa Ernie Boyko, Ernie Boyko, Nesstar Americas, Retired Statistics Canada, Ottawa Jane Fry, Carleton University, Ottawa Ernie Boyko, Ernie Boyko, Nesstar Americas, Retired Statistics Canada, Ottawa IASSIST 2005