Land a role as a data scientist as 234,000 vacancies are up for grabs

LOOKING for an exciting little number? Consider a career in data science.

Billed as “the new oil”, data is big business, with data analysts needed to help inform business decisions.

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The sector is worth £125billion a year to the economy.

But there is a huge skills gap, with one in five companies reporting unfilled data-based roles and 234,000 vacancies nationally. To help plug this, education programme Digdata has been launched to inspire students to take up a data career.

Backed by firms including BT, Facebook, Capital One and CACI, Digdata looks to connect students, parents, teachers and top employers and boost the sector’s image.

The free programme offers access to live online career challenges, where you can solve real business problems and chat with young people still in the early stages of their careers.

Students also gain a virtual work experience certificate and enhanced access to internships and work placements.

Rachel Keane, from the Data Inspiration Group, which founded the course, said: “We intend to dispel the myth that the data industry is not cool or creative.”

Pupils at the Archbishop Tenison’s school in Croydon, South London, are among the first to benefit from the course.

Year 8 pupil Amaru Akumf said: “Digdata helped me understand how different companies use data in different ways to solve problems.”

Aurora Mills, from Year 13, added: “This experience gave me an insight into different careers.”

And Anne-lena Asare, Year 11, said: “It helped me to find out about data science and how it works, as well as how it’s applicable to various jobs. I learned how to apply skills from many subjects to solve problems using data.”

The tailored courses start from Year 7-9 and progress through Years 10-13.

HOW TO BE HAPPY AT WORK

PRINCE Harry was widely mocked after becoming Chief Impact Officer for mental health start-up, Better Up.

But could the wacky-sounding job and sister role Chief Happiness Officer actually help firms perform better? Mark Simmonds, author of Beat Stress At Work, explains how it could.

1. The role needs to be closely aligned to the needs, goals and objectives of the business.
2. Ensure there is alignment between the DNA of the business and the DNA of each and every employee it recruits. If two people in any relationship don’t share the same values, the partnership won’t survive long.
3. The CHO must find out how every employee can bring their best self to work. Where are they at their happiest and most productive? When? With whom? Doing what kind of work?
4. Based on this information, the company can then create a physical, social, emotional and intellectual environment for every person to thrive and not just survive.
5. Regular checks need to be put in place to ensure that there is an ongoing correlation between happiness, productivity and performance. Chances are the Chief Financial Officer will have a close eye on a return on investment from their Chief Impact and Happiness Officers.

SEE YOU LATER, CV

THREE in five employers have considered scrapping CVs in an effort to attract more applicants and fill roles.

A report from psychometric assessment agency Arctic Shores finds that 88 per cent of HR bosses rule out candidates due to lack of direct experience on their CV, even though they could be trained up to do the job.

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As a result, two thirds of firms say they do not have a big enough talent pool, with three quarters forced to pay higher salaries to attract the right staff.

Robert Newry, CEO of Arctic Shores, said: “What we’re seeing isn’t a skills shortage, it’s a skills blindness.”

TASTY OPPORTUNITY

COOK up a new career with Hilton. The hotels chain is hosting a chef recruitment week from Monday to Friday next week, with more than 100 jobs on offer.

Would-be cooks can attend events at 30 hotels across the country, from Dunblane in Perthshire to Brighton, to showcase their skills.

Richard Raven, Regional Director at Hilton, said: “We encourage all potential new team members to come down to one of our many Chef Recruitment Week events to find out more about the roles available and hopefully join our team.”

For more details and your nearest participating hotel see jobs.hilton.com.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk