Prairie View A&M University will be hosting an innovative Data Science and Analytics Workshop open to all students regardless of major.

According to the historically Black college and university (HBCU), the two-week workshop will focus on data science, data analytics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, Python, R Programming, Deep Learning, and more. The virtual program is scheduled to run from July 26 to August 6. Click here for more information.

Who’s hiring?

In 2019, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a memo to human resource directors across the federal government. The memo determined that data science work may be found in various occupational areas, including but not limited to medical and health care, actuarial science, operations research, statistics, information technology, and data management.

But a report from data and analytics recruiter Harnham found minority groups are underrepresented in the field. For example, the “2020 US Diversity in Data & Analytics” concluded that African Americans accounted for just 3% of the Data & Analytics community.

Data Science Training Courses at HBCUs

In July 2019, UnitedHealth Group, and the Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC), the oldest and largest consortium of HBCUs, announced a new partnership to prepare students to meet the growing demand in the marketplace for data analytics experts.

The five-year, $8.25 million investment by UnitedHealth Group funded the launch of the AUCC Data Science Initiative, offering technical classes for students who want to specialize in data science or learn data analysis to give them a competitive edge when they look for jobs in their field of study.

“Many universities have refocused existing programs or developed new efforts to respond to the need for this, yet these responses are still insufficient based on projected demand,” said AUCC Executive Director Todd Greene. “The UnitedHealth Group funding will help to establish the base for this initiative. Additionally, through UnitedHealth Group internships, guest lectures, faculty development opportunities, and other efforts, our students will benefit from this partnership with the world’s largest managed health care company.”

The AUCC’s collective community of 9,000 students will help the new Data Science Initiative reach a broad spectrum of scholars.

In addition to infusing data science across every academic discipline, the Data Science Initiative will teach students to use advanced data analytics techniques for academic research, particularly studies on disparities in minority communities. Certificate programs focused on data analytics, and data science will also be developed.

“The Data Science Initiative has the potential to make the Atlanta University Center Consortium a national resource for experts in data analytics,” said Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, dean of the Morehouse School of Medicine.