ALEXANDRIA, VA (November 14, 2016) – More and more public and private sector employers are adding statisticians and data analysts to their ranks but are having a difficult time finding qualified candidates, according to a new national survey released today by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and sponsored by the American Statistical Association (ASA).
The Jobs of the Future: Data Analysis Skills report shows that over the past five years, nearly two-thirds of organizations (65%) had increased the number of positions requiring data analysis skills, and more than half (59%) expect to increase the number of positions at their organizations over the next five years. Four out of five responding organizations (80%) currently have positions that require data analysis skills, and another 2% expect to create positions in 2016. Those employers who filled a data analysis position within the last 12 months faced a challenge, with 78% reporting they had difficulty recruiting qualified candidates.
“Although data show that the number of students pursuing degrees in statistics is growing, and has been for more than 15 consecutive years, there is real concern that this growth may not be enough to satisfy the high demand for statisticians and other data analysts across all sectors of the economy,” says Ron Wasserstein, Executive Director of the American Statistical Association. “It is important that employers and the statistical community work together to encourage more students to study the statistical sciences so that supply begins to meet demand.”