Data scientist is one of the hottest jobs in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) where big data is king. IBM and The Open Group have come together to provide a certification programme for this highly-sought after job.Demand for data scientists have outpaced supply in recent years and that need is set to increase in the days ahead.
An IBM blog post pointed out that the lack of qualified talent is leaving a great number of organisations across the US starved for the discipline. It cited a LinkedIn study that showed that more than 151,000 data scientist jobs are unfilled across the United States.
The partnership between IBM and The Open Group seek to create the first-of-its-kind data scientist certification that will give organisations of any size the ability to assess and validate data science skills through practical experience.
“With the launch of the data scientist certification, we are taking the first step in giving individuals and organisations an industry-wide agreement for the profession, helping businesses identify top talent and ensuring individuals have the opportunity to demonstrate their value,” said Andrew Josey, Vice President of Standards and Certification at The Open Group.
“Data scientists work on mission critical issues within a business, so it’s essential that they have the right skills and can apply the appropriate methodologies to solve the business problem at hand,” he added.
IBM has also announced a 24-month Data Science Apprenticeship programme designed for job candidates who may not have a college degree and consists of three main components: education, mentorship and practical experience.
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