The Federal Data Science Training Program
The Office of Management and Budget launched the federal Data Science Training Program in the fall of 2020. It included 61 federal employees from 20 agencies. The goal this time was to retrain workers to use new skills in their current positions. Key areas of focus included Python and R languages, machine learning, design thinking, data mining, data visualization, statistics, and enhanced presentation skills.
Students first completed 28 online courses delivered through LinkedIn Learning in the fundamentals of data science tools and techniques over 18 weeks. The second phase transitioned to virtual, instructor-led classes completed over 10 weeks. Participants completed more than 3,700 hours of online learning. Finally, students were required to deliver a final capstone project to their agencies’ leadership.
“Feedback from agencies has been overwhelmingly positive regarding the pilot cohort,” an OMB spokesperson tells FedTech. “The graduates are returning to their regular duties with a deeper understanding of and competencies with data science tools and techniques. We are carefully considering the outcomes of the program and determining how best to build on this success in the future.”
Leading the charge on data literacy are federal chief data officers, like Ted Kaouk at the Agriculture Department. The title is a new one at agencies and underlines the recognition that data is marbled through government organizations and increasingly drives missions. Kaouk says he prefers the term “data acumen” to describe the training effort.
The USDA is currently conducting a gap analysis per the Federal Data Strategy. “We’ve been assessing data skills broadly — visualization, quality predictive analytics, data prep and aggregation,” he says. “We need employees to leverage these skills to do higher-level activities.”
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The USDA has ongoing training programs and runs data visualization competitions. Many employees have been recognized by senior leadership for their work.
“We have an increasing focus on data stewardship and quality, and that information is catalogued and accessible for decision-making,” Kaouk says. “We want to be focused on understanding our customers.”
Kaouk is also the leader of the federal CDO Council, which recently released a report on upskilling pilot programs at 10 agencies.
“Part of the challenge is that this is all holistic. As we see new needs, that creates new gaps. Because expectations are raised, that creates new gaps,” he explains. “We need the skill sets to do that work.”
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Federal agencies are using a combination of in-house and vendor training. Among the most common commercial educational platforms are LinkedIn Learning, Skillsoft, Pluralsight, Udacity, Coursera and MIT’s edX.
Agencies are also customizing teaching environments to their own needs and agency-specific data. “We are looking at the number of platforms that the Army already employs and at what competencies for data literacy they cover, and then both figuring out how to scale these appropriately and create savings and efficiencies, where possible, and figuring out where the gaps are where we need to create our own internal curriculum,” says the Army’s Saling.