Statistics/Data Science

Statistics/Data Science

Statistics/Data Science

There is expected to be strong growth in Math occupations in the next ten years. READ MORE

Included in that growth is Big Data and it may come as no surprise that there is a strong job demand for professionals who know how to work with data. It is one of the fastest growing fields in the USA as well as in the world and has been for the past several years. Global companies do not just gather data, but they also need professionals to help analyze it to maximize sales/profits for their company. Along the way this can also help the consumer, since they get an advantage by seeing personalized and targeted content online (i.e. advertising) which often can alert them to sales on items they buy often. How is this all being accomplished? By employing trained Data Scientists and Statisticians. 

Data is being gathered but companies of today need trained Data Scientist and Statisticians. Data needs to be gathered but also needs proper analysis and interpretation. Today’s companies are in need of skilled professionals with the following skills: 

  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving 
  • Math and Statistics 
  • Programming (All data scientists must be comfortable with writing code, likely in either Python, R, and/or SQL but SAS is also used by statisticians) 
  • Machine Learning / AI
  • Data visualization
  • Model Deployment
  • Strong communications skills
  • Ability to work in Teams 

What industries employ Data Scientists? Short answer is: Most of them! 

Best Industries for Data ScientistsThere are over 6,000 companies in USA who hire Data Scientists Majors.

 

General Insight for those interested in pursuing a statistics career path: 

  • Statistics is used in a wide variety of fields including technology, science, business, social sciences and medicine.
  • Pair your statistics skills with math and computer science knowledge/courses.
  • Be prepared if further education is required: Most statistician jobs in upper level research for government and/or industry may desire a Master’s degree.
  • Look for opportunities to take additional courses in forecasting and applied time series concepts which appear to be in strong demand.
  • There are positions in business (such as sales or even management) that are open to many types of bac-helor degrees. Seek out courses that will build your skills to help you prepare.
  • Join the American Statistical Association and Institute for Mathematical Statistics. Use their websites as a resource to research career opportunities.

 

Q: What if I only have a Math degree with a Statistics minor? 

If you enjoy and get excited about statistics, you may want to consider a graduate degree. Those professionals with a degree in statistics have a deeper mastery of techniques to analyze data and have learned how to leverage data to solve real world problems.