Master Data Management partner, eLearningCurve, has released and extended an updated Certified Data Steward (CDS) curriculum, reflecting the evolving and expanding role of the enterprise data steward. eLearningCurve, is a highly regarded data training institute, delivering its internationally recognised programmes via elearning.
“Data stewards are, typically, business staff that have been selected to lead the data programme for their business unit. They fill many important roles in data and information management – ranging from data strategy and policy management, to data privacy and protection, in addition to data quality management, and defining data context,” says Gary Allemann, MD at Master Data Management.
“Ultimately, without developing a data steward’s data management skills and knowledge, it can be tough for them to understand what is expected of them. Many data governance programmes fail due to poor support for data stewards.”
A data steward may need to know about metadata management, policy management, data quality management, data curating and cataloguing, data architecture, data privacy, business processes, facilitation, consensus building, issues management, and lots more.
eLearningCurve’s CDS programme provides the support and knowledge data stewards need to execute their jobs. This programme offers a standardised foundation for data stewardship, based on best practices, while also covering the broad scope of responsibilities required to meet this demanding role.
The value of the CDS programme is that it provides the opportunity for each data steward in your organisation to learn and expand their data management knowledge. Becoming a Certified Data Steward shows not only that these stewards have invested time and effort in acquiring this broad knowledge, but also that they are well qualified and motivated to take on the data stewardship responsibilities that are essential to the business.
Emerging data management trends, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning, data ethics and privacy, and data literacy have been included in elearningCurve’s updated curriculum, reflecting the needs of modern data governance.
New and updated courses include:
- Data Stewardship Fundamentals: Covering fundamentals of data stewardship: what the role comprises, what they do, what their responsibilities are, and what the key principles and practices of data stewardship are.
- Metadata management for data stewards: Covers a foundational understanding of techniques used for metadata management, data profiling and data modelling.
- Data Analytics for data stewards: Provides an overview of the many disciplines making up data analytics, from business intelligence to data science.
- Data Strategy for the age of big data: Covers the core principles of building a big data strategy to generate the business value and deep insights that an organisation needs to thrive in a competitive business environment.
- Data Privacy and protection fundamentals: Discusses the details of data privacy and protection and reviews the activities that go into supporting a data privacy and protection initiative.
The CDS package is the most time- and cost-effective way to earn CDS designation. It includes four CDS courses, covering the foundation one requires to function effectively as a data steward.
The CDS Ex Package covers the entire Data Stewardship Body of Knowledge in seven courses. Upon completion of this programme, individuals will know everything a data steward needs to know and earn a CDS Ex designation.
More information can be found at https://www.masterdata.co.za/index.php/cds/data-stewardship-training
Master Data Management partner, elearningCurve, has been named a top data science training institute of 2020 by Analytics Insights magazine.
The issue recognises prominent Artificial Intelligence and Data Science institutions that offer a rigorous curriculum and innovative teaching approach to train students to become tomorrow’s agile and skilled learning professionals. Through Master Data Management, eLearningCurve offers African students a comprehensive online education and certification programmes in various disciplines of information management including data quality, data governance, data integration, data management, analytics, and data science. eLearningCurve’s courses begin with fundamentals that teach the basic concepts and principles then move quickly to more advanced topics to teach practical skills that can be immediately applied in the workplace.
Focus on practical learning and experiences
The magazine interviews eLearningCurve Director of Education, Dave Wells, who combines more than fifty years of experience working with data and information systems with his expertise in the delivery of elearning based training. Wells has leveraged this experience to attract instructors that bring the right blend of theoretical knowledge of advanced data science techniques, the practical experience necessary to apply the theory, and the teaching skills to create and deliver high impact education.
The value of an elearningCurve education is further enhanced with examination and certification. The examination process, which is open book, provides opportunities for students to evaluate their knowledge, recognise gaps in understanding, and revisit the courses to fill those gaps. The Institute’s Certified Information Management Professional (CIMP) designation for data scientists makes a clear statement that the student has learned from industry-leading practitioners and has demonstrated a thorough understanding of data science by passing several challenging exams. The CIMP-Ex data science designation goes beyond certification of knowledge and understanding to also attest to the expertise and excellence of experienced data science professionals.
elearningCurve’s recognises data science as a multidisciplinary field covering both data analytics and data engineering. The curriculum, which is still being added to, currently includes:
- Data Science Fundamentals
- Introduction to NoSQL
- Framing & Planning Data Science Projects that Drive Business Impact
- Big Data Strategy
- Hadoop Fundamentals
- Putting the Science in Data Science: Fundamentals of Research Methods
- Data Understanding and Preparation for Data Science
- Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals
- Machine Learning Fundamentals
- Fundamentals of Predictive Analytics
- Streaming Data: Concepts, Applications, and Technologies
- Diagnostic Analytics Using Statistical Process Control
- Prescriptive Analytics Using Simulation Models
- Data Mining in R
- Data Mining Concepts and Techniques
- Analytics Modelling, Evaluation and Deployment
The severe shortage of data science skills worldwide means that institutions must look internally to grow skills. The CIMP data science curriculum is a well-tested avenue to fill the gaps between data science hiring and staffing that are the norm today.
“We have many customers in South African companies and government departments that use the eLearningCurve curriculum to up-skill their internal teams – both with a sound foundation and with specialist skills,” says Master Data Management’s MD Gary Allemann. “The elearning medium means that staff can learn at a pace that is convenient for each of them, and the constantly evolving curriculum means that we are able to keep our local specialists up to date with international best practice.”