Editor’s Note: The TechAmerica Foundation’s Big Data Commission has released its report “Demystifying Big Data: A Practical Guide To Transforming The Business of Government” attached here. The report includes a recommendation that the federal government develop expertise in managing Big Data projects, See below.
From: TechAmerica Foundation
Increasing Talent
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) should create a formal career track for IT managers and establish an IT Leadership Academy to provide Big Data and related IT training and certification. This academy should foster intellectual curiosity – a trait required to shift workforce focus from transition processing to analytic thinking and continual improvement. To complement these OMB initiatives, agencies should cross-train IT managers to understand functional disciplines so that Big Data and related IT solutions can be effectively utilized to support the mission. We recommend that the IT Leadership Academy be organized using established and proven models of professional development, competency-based education, and in collaboration with select academic centers. These centers can be selected based on their interest in the Academy and their accomplishments in professional development.
To help acquisition and IT personnel understand, adopt, and use Big Data solutions, government agencies, companies, and academia should develop and disseminate educational resources and programs aimed at educating the federal workforce on the technical, business, and policy issues associated with the acquisition, deployment, and operation of Big Data solutions.
We also recommend a broader coalition between Big Data Commission members, academic centers, and professional societies to articulate and maintain professional and competency standards for the field of Big Data. Such standards will guide colleges and universities across the country to develop relevant programs, thus increasing the pool of qualified students for Big Data related roles.
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