Analytics leader offers free courses in pilot project with University of Bradford

Analytics leader SAS, whose software is used across multiple industry sectors, Government and even sporting organisations such as British Rowing, has teamed up with the University of Bradford to offer people the chance to learn highly valued data skills.

The SAS STEP programme is aimed at offering industry-leading skills in data, free of charge, to anyone looking to make themselves more employable or simply acquire these skills – whether they are a graduate, self-employed, already in employment or seeking employment.

Professor Vishanth Weerakkody, Dean of the Faculty of Management, Law & Social Sciences, said the scheme echoed the University’s own business and community engagement strategy and was timely in that it would help prepare the workforce for a post-Covid economic recovery.

He said: “This joint digital skills development programme between SAS and University of Bradford is designed to provide the much needed impetus for our city’s workforce to develop the skills and capacity we need in data analytics to take ‘data-informed’ decisions as we prepare for the post Covid-19 recovery of our economy in Bradford”

SAS will conduct a pilot study, which the University of Bradford will participate in and help evaluate. The project is designed to help with the post-pandemic economic recovery and provides an introduction to data access, data preparation, data discovery and report creation using SAS software.

Charles Senabulya, VP & Country Manager, SAS UK & Ireland, said: “We are keen to explore how we might be able to support the local workforce by offering e-learning for free. While some people are understandably concerned about losing their jobs or feeling a need to broaden their skills, we also know there is high demand for people that can work with data. SAS’ origins are in education and it has always been a key part of what we do, so this initiative draws on a lot of the in-house materials and expertise we already have.”

Professor of Technology Management, Sankar Sivarajah, from the School of Management in the Faculty of Management, Law & Social Sciences, said: “Digital skills are increasingly in demand from employers and as such they are a driver for growth. This is a free course and as such represents an amazing opportunity for anyone who wants to change careers; or perhaps they already have some of these skills and want to deepen their knowledge.”

SAS is a global business and a leader in advanced analytics and artificial intelligence, with more than 40 years’ experience in this industry. Its software is used at more than 83,000 business, government and university sites around the world.

The four-week course consists of 39 structured learning hours and 10 self-directed hours (roughly two hours per day) and provides the core knowledge and skills needed to become a Data Analyst. Learning outcomes are aligned to the UK Government’s Digital, Data and Technology skills and capability framework.