1. Using National Skills Frameworks
Designing Big Data Analytics Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programmes for Employability
Using National Skills Frameworks
Copyright © 2010, SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

2. Richard J Self, Senior Lecturer in Analytics and Governance
University of Derby, UK

3. Context A very wide gap between demand and supply of
“Analytics” skilled and literate graduates with
“analytics smarts”
UK 56k new practitioners annually by 2020
USA 150k by 2018, plus 1.5M analytics aware staff
Businesses and Universities need plans B and C
Computer Science tends to be Technology Focused
Multi Disciplinary skills and teams – very few “unicorns”

4. Big Data Analyst Skills
e-skills UK and SAS, 2014

5. SAS Data Science Survey 2014
See

6. Foundations for Programmes
Common Theme - Employability, Skills and Evidence
Skills For an Information Age (SFIA)
SFIA Foundation, E-skills UK and British Computer Society, etc
Tech Partnerships (UK)
(Draft) National Occupational Standards for
Data Analysis
Data Management
Data Science
Threshold level of achievement on the QAA Benchmark for Computing (2007)
Use many environments (IBM, SAS, R, Cloud-based etc.)

7. SFIA Structure Levels of Responsibility Skills See
for full description of Skills

8. SFIA Levels of Responsibility
1. Follow
2. Assist
3. Apply
4. Enable
5. Ensure and advise
6. Initiate and influence
7. Set strategy, inspire, and mobilise

9. SFIA Skills 6 Categories of skills
Strategy and architecture
Business change
Solution development and implementation
Service Management
Procurement and management support
Client Interface
Each section sub-divided (see )

10. Using SFIA Framework
SFIA licence the framework to academic institutions
“If you exploit SFIA commercially, to support the sale of your products or services to clients, you will need to pay a licence fee”
Individuals (including academics and students) have free registration for personal use for CPD
“For organisations or individuals using SFIA only as a resource for their own management or development, SFIA licences are free of charge”
See

11. Tech Partnerships 2014 Draft NOS for Discussion
Data Analysis Levels (e.g.)
ESKITP Assist in Delivering Routine Data Analysis Studies
ESKITP Design and Implement Data Analysis Studies
ESKITP Manage Data Analysis Services
ESKITP Lead the Delivery of the Data Analysis Capability, Strategy and Framework
Performance Criteria
Knowledge and Understanding

12. Programme Design Impact (1)
Conceptual development guidelines (coverage)
Develop stretching curricula
Some U/G work can be at SFIA level 7 (e.g. Set strategy)!
Develop CPD practice for career development
Choosing career pathways
Planning areas of study
Recognizing and evidencing acquired skills for job application
Potential for accreditation (subject to fees?)

13. Programme Design Impact (2)
Module designs emphasise soft skills (as well as hard)
Curiosity
Problem solving
Creativity
Collaboration
Story telling
Communication
Continuous Research

14. Approach Applied to BSc (Hons) IT BSc (Hons) Analytics (Joint Honours)
MSc Big Data Analytics

15. Programme Operation Impact
Embed employability skills development into all modules
Using the new SAS / University certificates of competence
Highly enthusiastic students
High levels of achievement (75% 2:1 and 1st )
High levels of employment following graduation
some during final year (after placement year)

16. Session ID #3201