Developing Analytics Curriculum for the Community College: Training Today’s Workforce for the FutureTanya ScottDirector, Business Analytics DepartmentAssoc. Dean, Business & Public Services

Dr. Manju ShahAssoc. Department Head, Business Analytics Department

Wake Technical Community College RALEIGH, NC

• Largest community college in NC• 70,000+ students• County population: 1 million• The college is 52 years old.

Beltline Education Center Northern Wake

Campus

Eastern Wake

Education Center

Perry Health Sciences Campus

Public Safety Education Campus

Western Wake Campus

Main Campus

RTP Campus (Opening 2017)

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AAS Business Analytics:DOLTAA TAACCCT Round 2 Grantee• TAACCCT (Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and

Career Training) Program• Partnership between the Department of Labor and the Department of

Education• Received award October 2012; offered our first course January 2013• Focus: employability in analytics fields

Source: United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration: http://www.doleta.gov/taaccct/pdf/TAACCCT_One_Pagers_All.pdf

Poll Question

Are you interested in offering an analytics program?

YesNo

Poll Question

What educational institution do you represent?

Community CollegeFour-Year College, PublicFour-Year College, PrivateOther training facility

AAS Business Analytics: The Importance of the Community College• Open enrollment• Accessible• Fewer perceived obstacles• Fewer ‘start-up costs’• Cost-to-benefit • Flexibility• Scheduling• Modality in learning

• Likeminded student colleagues

AAS Business Analytics: Initial Challenges• No other AAS program or the like to benchmark:

• Traditionally offered at the graduate level• Traditionally statistics and/or IT-Database tracked

• Employability in a field that typically hires individuals with at least a Bachelor degree, usually a graduate degree

• Program is open enrollment and requires little to no prerequisites (developmental math and English).

• Online/hybrid most popular.

• Accelerated online most popular.

• Difficult to find qualified faculty (at our salary range).

• Lack of industry consensus “what is analytics”

AAS Business Analytics: Structured Pathways• Clear program structure with a balance between flexible and

prescriptive options• Provide timeline and sequence that keeps students on track to

completion• Align courses with transfer and articulation options• Encourage degree and credential declaration early• Limit elective choices

AAS Business Analytics: Strategies• Industry partnerships • Networking and attending specialty group meetings• Student-centric program hosted events• Internships and adopting real-world projects• Focus on problem solving and application versus theory• Boot camps and other resources• Accelerated program/certificates• Structured pathways• Latticed credentials • Industry certifications

AAS Business Analytics: The Students

18-25 26-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-740

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AAS Business Analytics: The Students

Women Men100

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Poll Question

Have you had student demand for offering an analytics curriculum?

YesNo

Poll Question

Have you had industry demand for offering an analytics curriculum?

YesNo

AAS Business Analytics: Serving Underrepresented Populations in Stem-Related Careers

• Women• Veterans• Underserved populations

AAS Business Analytics: Motivators• Career transition• Upward mobility• Quality of life

AAS Business Analytics: Program• Associate in Applied Science degree: 64 credits• Five embedded certificates:• Business Intelligence• Business Analyst• Marketing Analytics• Finance Analytics• Logistics Analytics

AAS Business Analytics: 9 Core CoursesBAS 120: Introduction to Analytics• Explain the analytical process and the role of the analyst.• Utilize applied descriptive statistics to make basic business decisions.• Utilize exploratory data analysis to make basic business decisions.

BAS 121: Data Visualization• Utilize concepts and methods in the graphical representation of data• Utilize concepts and methods in the exploration and reporting of data• Conduct basic linear regression methods• Apply data visualization concepts to communicate insights about data.

AAS Business Analytics: 9 Core CoursesBAS 150 Introduction to Analytical Programming• Utilize statistical programming tools to conduct descriptive analytics.

BAS 220 Applied Analytical Programming• Process data utilizing appropriate pre-processing practices• Apply linear and logistic regression using programming tools• Generate reports that support business decision-making

AAS Business Analytics: 9 Core CoursesBAS 221 Introduction to Predictive Analytics• Build and validate predictive models for classification tasks.• Build and validate predictive models for regression tasks.

BAS 230 Applied Predictive Modeling• Apply classification models to guide decisions.• Apply regression models to guide decisions.

AAS Business Analytics: 9 Core CoursesBAS 250 Analytical Tools and Methods• Analyze complex data, including semi-structured and unstructured

data, using analytical tools and methods.

BAS 270 Advanced Analytical Tools and Methods• Apply analytical methods and best practices in a simulated business

setting.

AAS Business Analytics: Technology Used• Alteryx• Tableau• SAS Programming• SAS Enterprise• R• Python

Thank you!

Contact Information:Tanya tescott1@waketech.eduManju mkshah@waketech.edu