data science careers Archives - University of Wisconsin Data Science Degree

The University of Wisconsin Data Science program hosted a career webinar breaking down the future of the field. The discussion, which was facilitated by UW Data Science Academic Program Manager, Jennifer Cox, and Senior Success Coach, Michael Paul, examined the current job market and career outlook for the data science industry.

The panel featured experts representing different areas of data science, all of whom were either UW Data Science graduates or Advisory Board members for the program:

Missy Wittmann, Data Solution Engineer at American Family Insurance
Brent Ferrier, Principal Data Scientist at Oshkosh Corporation
Rebecca Wells, Data and Analytics Catalyst at Trane Technologies
Carolyn Challoner, Information Technology Instructor at Fox Valley Technical College

The four panelists shared career knowledge on a wide range of topics, including what skills you need to succeed in the field and the importance of companies cultivating an inclusive workplace.

What Employers Expect From Today’s Data Science Professionals

To work in the data science industry, possessing business knowledge is just as important as having a strong understanding of programming languages and visualization tools. With soft skills like strong communication and collaboration, data scientists can clearly and effectively explain projects to other departments in their organization.

“As a data scientist, being able to straddle that line between business and IT is expected,” Ferrier said. “That’s why communication is so key, because you have to live in two worlds.”

Companies are searching for workers who can bring best practices to the current business through real-time analytics and personalization. In fields such as consulting and manufacturing, Ferrier said there has been a sudden rise in companies seeing the value in advanced analytics.

“There are tons of jobs out there for the jack of all trades, the generalist who can go end-to-end on a full project,” he said.

The industry is also beginning to see a specialization of roles in larger companies. Wells predicts a job market where teams consist of “unicorn” employees, or workers who are hard to find but have unique and specialized skills that can greatly improve an organization.

“Instead of expecting the world out of one person, companies are starting to recognize that it does behoove them to specialize across their roles and build unicorn teams instead of that magical single unicorn,” she said.

Creating An Inclusive Workplace for a Better Tomorrow

The panel also discussed the importance of diversity and equity in the workplace. Many companies have made an effort toward inclusivity to ensure everyone has a voice.

Wittmann said American Family Insurance in particular has an Inclusive Excellence department, along with employee resource groups to support women in technology, different ethnicities, and veterans.

“The more diverse your teams are, the stronger the teams will be because you have different perspectives and ways of looking at things,” Wittmann said.

Companies like Trane Technologies have begun to implement anonymous hiring by removing candidates’ names from their applications. This allows hiring managers to make decisions based on an applicant’s skills while avoiding gender bias and other forms of hiring discrimination.

Remote positions have also created more job opportunities for graduates and working professionals across the country. In the case of Oshkosh Corporation, Ferrier said the company hired remote workers in Arizona who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to join the Wisconsin-based organization. The company has promoted tuition assistance as well for workers in other departments who want to acquire the core knowledge necessary for a data scientist role.

Getting Your Foot in the Door

The job market for data science has become an employee’s market in recent years, which makes the career outlook for the field a promising one.

For people looking to transition into the field or are searching for their first job after graduation, a solid résumé and proper networking can go a long way to set you apart from other applicants. The panel suggested using online job boards such as LinkedIn, which is how Challoner found her current job at Fox Valley Technical College.

“Because of my background, résumé, and data science degree, my inbox blew up,” she said.

The panel recommended broadening your search when looking for data science openings, since job titles can vary from company to company.

“Organizations use many different terms,” Wittmann said. “You may not necessarily see the words ‘data science.’ They may be looking for some type of data engineer or whatnot.”

When searching for jobs, shadowing other employees within your organization or reaching out to a company’s hiring manager for an informational interview can help you find the right fit.

“How [hiring managers] describe what they want from their employee versus what they put in a job description are often very different things,” Wells said.

Creating an online portfolio is another option to demonstrate your data science knowledge and skill set. With the UW Data Science program, students can tailor their final capstone project to showcase a collection of work with potential employers.

Furthering Your Career With a Data Science Degree

The emergence of online degree programs has given a wider range of students more access to an education. This includes Ferrier’s wife, who went back to school online while she was raising their children as a stay-at-home mother.

“I find that a lot with our data science students,” Cox said. “They’re working a job or several jobs, have kids, and are fitting this in with their regular life.”

With the field of data science constantly evolving, the panel stressed the value of being a lifelong learner.

“Getting that data literacy can help you in any career, not just one that is a traditional data science career path,” Challoner said.

While online courses on LinkedIn Learning and Coursera are useful for supplemental learning, a master’s degree program will allow you to establish credibility and fully develop the technical skills needed in data science. The 100 percent online UW Master of Science in Data Science is a suitable option for those looking to advance their careers while having the flexibility to support any lifestyle.

Want to learn more about the UW Data Science program? Talk with an enrollment adviser by emailing learn@uwex.wisconsin.edu or calling 608-800-6762.

The full webinar is available below:

About the Panel

Missy Wittmann | Data Solution Engineer at American Family Insurance

Over the past 36 years, Missy has worked several positions within the data space at American Family. Her passion for data led her to the Wisconsin Data Management Association (DAMA), where she was elected president and held board positions at the international level. Missy joined the UW Data Science Advisory Board to discuss the needs of the industry and ensure the program is aligned with the workforce.

Brent Ferrier | Principal Data Scientist at Oshkosh Corporation

A graduate of the UW Data Science program as well as an Advisory Board member, Brent is responsible for the strategy and implementation of data science initiatives at the Oshkosh Defense business unit at Oshkosh Corporation. A lifelong learner, Brent also has an MS in Cybersecurity from Georgia Tech and an MBA from UW-Parkside. His educational background in supply chain management and data regulations has further complemented his data science career.

Rebecca Wells | Data and Analytics Catalyst at Trane Technologies

Rebecca develops the data and analytics vision at Trane Technologies, where she has worked for 20 years. This includes how the organization is structured as well as the process of turning analytics into data science. A graduate of the UW Data Science program, Rebecca was drawn to the field after developing an interest in visualization storytelling. She has since been able to combine her statistics and programming skills with her pre-existing business background.

Carolyn Challoner | Information Technology Instructor at Fox Valley Technical College

A 2018 graduate of the Data Science program, Carolyn is working to train the next generation of data scientists in Fox Valley Tech’s newly formed Data Specialist degree program. She has previously worked at IT and global marketing jobs throughout the Fox Valley region of Wisconsin, including Plexus, Miller Electric, and Kimberly-Clark.

Michael Paul | Senior Success Coach at UW Extended Campus

Michael has supported UW Data Science students since 2013, with a career in higher education spanning 15 years. As a success coach, Michael helps students improve their connectedness to the program, their home campus, and online resources.

Jennifer Cox | Academic Program Manager at UW Extended Campus

Jennifer has worked in research, project management, and information science at the University of Wisconsin System since 2007. She became the Academic Program Manager for the UW Data Science program after completing the MS in Data Science degree program in 2018. Jennifer’s greatest data science interest relates to the use of data in business strategy and decision making.

According to a 2020 National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) report, women make up 57 percent of the overall workforce, but only 26 percent of computing and math occupations. This is the first post in a new series from the University of Wisconsin Master of Science in Data Science to highlight the importance and need for women in the data science industry. The Women in Data Science series will feature the crucial roles women take on within the computing field. Additionally, the series will highlight students, faculty, and program leaders of the UW Master of Science in Data Science program who share their experiences as women in the data science industry, and offer advice for breaking into the male-dominated profession.

Though there is a lot of work yet to be done for women’s inclusivity in data science, there are a few statistics that are worth celebrating. In this first blog post, we take a look at hiring trends, strengths women bring to data science roles, and how women can stay competitive in the industry.

Positive job growth for women in data science

First, let’s break down the percentage of women in computing occupations. A 2022 Burtch Works study found that the number of women in data scientist roles has reached 24 percent, an increase from 2018 where just 15 percent of data scientists were women. The same study also found that the largest percentage of women in data science roles are in the entry-level individual contributor category.

These numbers indicate a possible increased presence of women in the field, along with the beginning of women-led leadership. However, there is still a great need for growth in the computing field for women and other minority groups, especially in the mid-to-senior level leadership roles historically held by men.

Diversity reduces bias and improves work quality in organizations

The 2020 NCWIT report also found that women in the computing workforce are more racially and ethnically diverse than men in the field. As shown in the graphic below, there is a higher percentage of women with African American, Black, and Asian descent who hold computing roles than men.

Graphic from the 2020 National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) report showing the racial composition between women and men with computer and information sciences (CIS) bachelor degrees in 2019. At all degree levels, the women earning CIS degrees are more racially and ethnically diverse when compared to men.

Workplace diversity plays a large role in reducing bias, which is especially critical in the computing field. According to a Boston Consulting Group (BCG) study, “Interpreting causal relationships and correlations in large data sets requires subtlety, and both humans and machine learning algorithms can occasionally ‘see’ patterns that lead to spurious, biased, or even downright dangerous conclusions.” A diverse team—whether by gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, age, disability, and more—allows for various opinions and experiences to be considered when tackling projects.

Workplace diversity also improves the quality of work. A study done by Columbia University researchers Bo Cowgill and Fabrizio Dell’Acqua found that prediction errors were correlated within demographic groups, especially by gender and ethnicity. More diverse teams will reduce the chance for compounding biases, resulting in fewer errors.

While diversity reduces bias, it also leads to higher innovation revenue. Because people with different backgrounds and experiences often work through problems in different ways to come up with a variety of solutions, the odds that one of the solutions will be a financial success increases.

A chance to make a difference in the world

There are a number of ways that data science impacts the world, and according to the BCG study, this is important to women. The study found that 73 percent of women entering the data science and machine learning field prioritize tangible impact in their career choice, compared to 50 percent of men.

Graphic from the BCG study comparing the percentage of women and men STEM students who have a preference for working on applied problems with tangible impact. On average, the results show that women, including data science majors, place a higher emphasis on applied, impact-driven work than men do.

However, many women do not see data science roles as fulfilling their career goals. According to the same study, half of women instead see the data science field as “theoretical and abstract, focused on manipulating code and data with low impact and, by implication, low purpose.” Although there are probably many factors that contribute to this negative perception, the study cites the largest is the companies themselves. It is argued that companies are not communicating the important and meaningful role that data scientists play within their business, deterring applicants.

Data science is utilized in all industries, ranging from renewable energy, to healthcare, to public safety. Within these industries, the work of data scientists often has a tangible impact on the technology that will shape our future. In order to recruit women to data science roles, companies should showcase how data science is at the heart of effective decision making by highlighting the specific problems that data scientists solve in their organization. Bottom line, all industries stand to benefit from the experiences, perspectives, and skills that women in the field have to offer, and they must work toward better communicating with women in data science.

How to stand out in a competitive industry

If you have an interest in data science and want to stay competitive, enrolling in a data science master’s degree program may be the right next move for your career. You can start by asking yourself a few important questions before taking the leap, including which program is the right fit. Diversity in faculty expertise and perspectives is a critical component to consider before applying to a program. It’s important that you can relate to and feel supported by program faculty and staff.

UW Data Science strives to be inclusive

The gender gap within data science roles and leadership positions continues to be a pressing issue. Every organization can benefit from prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within their internal culture and hiring processes. This requires conversations at all employment levels, from institutions granting degrees to CEOs discussing promotions to leadership positions.

The UW Master of Science in Data Science program aims to create an inclusive environment for all. If you’d like to learn about graduates of the program, read about Venmathi Shanmugam, a modeling and simulations engineer working at the Veterans Affairs office, and Halee Mason, who is a lead data scientist at Cloud9 Esports, Inc. You can also learn about our diverse faculty members.

Have questions about the courses, tuition, or how to apply? Talk with an enrollment adviser by emailing learn@uwex.wisconsin.edu or calling 608-800-6762.

Data Science Webinar Highlights the Current Job Market and Future of the Field