Communications of the ACM
Training Next-Gen Data Superheroes
Colleges and universities are preparing a new generation of data science "superheroes" to handle Big Data.
Credit: S.E.L.F.
Data science programs are gaining popularity as colleges and universities focus on preparing a new generation of data specialists to handle big data.
The daily volume of data generated by 2020 will reach 40 zettabytes, approximately 5,247 gigabytes for each person in the world, according to an IDC study, which notes that only 0.5 percent of the world's data currently is being effectively analyzed.
To make use of this data, organizations need trained IT professionals, but an enormous labor shortage exists in this area. The United States will experience a shortfall of 140,000-190,000 workers with deep analytical skills, and a shortage of 1.5 million managers and analysts to analyze big data and make decisions based on their findings, a McKinsey & Co. report says.
However, last fall the University of San Francisco (USF) began a Master of Science in Analytics program in response to high demand from both students and companies. USF formed partnerships with companies to launch the program, which will teach the skills needed to manage and mine data sets too large or diverse for conventional tools. To teach data set collection, processing, analysis, and reporting, the program merges business, computer science, and graphic design.
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Abstracts Copyright © 2013 Information Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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