U of A Awarded $750,000 to Increase Arkansas Data Science Workforce

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Karl Schubert

The Arkansas Department of Higher Education awarded $750,000 to the U of A to help increase the number of data science certificates and degrees throughout the state. Karl Schubert, the managing director of the U of A Data Science Program, will be the principal investigator on a new program called HIRED.

Schubert also heads up the Data Science Literacy, Education and Workforce Development advisory group.

“I am honored to have the opportunity as principal investigator to further expand our statewide data science educational ecosystem to data literacy and workforce development,” Schubert said. 

As companies increasingly rely on data-driven problem-solving to stay competitive across a range of industries, Arkansas will need to invest in workforce training to produce more skilled data science professionals to meet job growth expectations. Data scientists in Arkansas can earn anywhere from $80,000 to $120,000 a year, making it an attractive career for both new graduates and those seeking advancement and opportunity through upskilling.

Enter Schubert and the HIRED program. While the overall goal of the program is to increase the number of data science degrees and certificates, as well as the number of course instructors, the two-year grant has two main thrusts:

1. Expand the Arkansas Data Science Ecosystem by adding more two-year colleges to the program and
2. Create stackable certificates that allow students and current workers to upskill without requiring a college degree.

That means certificates and coursework need to transfer seamlessly between colleges. The U of A will lead the design of modular coursework and conduct workshops at two-year academic institutions for instructors who will be teaching data science courses from a shared curriculum.

Stackable certificates will be developed from existing online courses, broken into smaller stand-alone modules taken in sequence for workforce training. Participants will be able to exit at any stage, with a certificate awarded after each module. Completing all course modules allows for consideration of prior learning proficiency.

The statewide collaboration aims to establish consistent, high-quality curricula at all levels, creating multiple data science education pathways to meet workforce needs.

At the same time, HIRED will coordinate with industry partners on a range of activities, including mentoring and internships for students, collaboration on curriculum and training, and encouraging employees to pursue stackable degrees, among other areas of mutual interest.

Ultimately, the goal is to have more than 1,000 students enrolled in courses around the state.

Schubert also noted in an e-mail: “We have an outstanding core team, including co-principal investigator, Dr. Carol S. Gattis, dean emeritus, U of A Honors College; Dr. Stephen R. Addison, dean, College of Science and Engineering, University of Central Arkansas; and Adam Musto, director of Computer Science Education, Arkansas Department of Education, with many additional collaborators around the state.”

The Data Science Program at the U of A is a joint partnership of the College of Engineering, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the Sam M. Walton College of Business.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.