Job Opportunities In The “Big Data” Field

By Nora Riehl Zelluk

Google executive Eric Schmidt once famously announced, “There were 5 exabytes of information created between the dawn of civilization through 2003, but that much information is now created every two days.”

Schmidt’s arithmetic has since become a matter of debate but his illustration vividly captures the “big data” phenomenon, and experts agree that the volume, velocity and variety of the data generated every second in this information age will continue to grow exponentially.

When harnessed by statistics and analytics, big data has the potential to revolutionize how people solve problems, predict demand and improve organizational efficiency. Businesses individualize their customer pitches based on past purchases and demographics; economists look for shifts in consumer confidence; epidemiologists analyze Google search statistics to pinpoint flu outbreaks.

However, as pointed out in a recent issue of Harvard Business Review, “The shortage of data scientists is becoming a serious constraint in some sectors.” The article went on to observe that “Statistics are important, but many of the key techniques for using big data are rarely taught in traditional statistics courses.”

The shortage of data scientists make “big data” a great career opportunity in a tough economy.  Plus, skills in data analytics can be a boon to small business owners. The University of Delaware Division of Professional and Continuing Studies’ Certificate in Analytics: Optimizing Big Data introduces the tools needed to analyze large datasets, focusing on how to translate the results into informed business decisions and improved business performance.

The program is directed at professionals in any field who deal with large amounts of data – small business owners; business, marketing, and operations managers; financial industry professionals; and others who wish to learn the tools for creating data-supported solutions to business questions.

The certificate meets at UD’s Downtown Center, 8th and King streets, Wilmington and can be completed in approximately three months.

For more information about the Certificate in Analytics:
Optimizing Big Data program,
visit www.pcs.udel.edu/data
or call 302-831-7600.