1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. Overview of TtT http://datalib.library.ualberta.ca/DLI/Train%20the%20Trainers/ 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. Thank you very much Jane Fry, jfry@ccs.carleton.ca Carleton University, Ottawa Ernie Boyko, boykern@yahoo.com Ernie Boyko, boykern@yahoo.com Nesstar Americas, Retired Statistics Canada, Ottawa Jane Fry, jfry@ccs.carleton.ca Carleton University, Ottawa Ernie Boyko, boykern@yahoo.com Ernie Boyko, boykern@yahoo.com Nesstar Americas, Retired Statistics Canada, Ottawa IASSIST 2005