University of Arkansas Awarded $750K to Increase Arkansas Data Science Workforce

Karl Schubert will be the principal investigator for the new program. (Photo provided)

The Arkansas Department of Higher Education has awarded $750,000 to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville to help increase the number of data science certificates and degrees throughout the state.

Karl Schubert, the managing director of the U of A Data Science Program, will be the principal investigator on a new program called HIRED. Schubert also heads up the Data Science Literacy, Education and Workforce Development advisory group.

A press release from the university stated that companies are increasingly relying on data-driven problem-solving to stay competitive across a range of industries, and that Arkansas will need to invest in workforce training to produce more skilled data science professionals to meet job growth expectations.

The overall goal of the HIRED program is to increase the number of data science degrees and certificates, as well as the number of course instructors. The two-year grant has two main focuses: expand the Arkansas Data Science Ecosystem by adding more 2-year colleges to the program, and create stackable certificates that allow students and current workers to upskill without requiring a college degree.

That means certificates and coursework need to transfer seamlessly between colleges. The University of Arkansas will lead the design of modular coursework and conduct workshops at two-year academic institutions for instructors who will be teaching data science courses from a shared curriculum.

Stackable certificates will be developed from existing online courses, broken into smaller modules taken in sequence for workforce training. Participants will be able to exit at any stage, with a certificate awarded after each module. Completing all course modules allows for consideration of prior learning proficiency.

The statewide collaboration also aims to establish consistent, high-quality curricula at all levels, creating multiple data science education pathways to meet workforce needs.

HIRED will coordinate with industry partners on a range of activities, including mentoring and internships for students, collaboration on curriculum and training, and encouraging employees to pursue stackable degrees, among other areas of mutual interest.

Ultimately, the goal is to have more than 1,000 students enrolled in courses around the state. Data scientists in Arkansas can earn anywhere from $80,000 to $120,000 a year.

The program’s team includes co-principal investigator, Carol Gattis, dean emeritus at U of A Honors College; Stephen Addison, dean of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Central Arkansas; and Adam Musto, director of Computer Science Education at the Arkansas Department of Education, with many additional collaborators around the state.