The need for experienced data scientists continues to increase while the amount of actual data scientists struggles to keep up. Forbes notes that the projected growth rate for data science skills will increase by 26 percent by 2026. CIO notes that tech behemoths like Google and Amazon tend to grab first pick, adding to the shortage for other companies. Adding to the problem is that data science is a relatively new field—so those who do have experience come at a high cost.
Why is demand so high for data scientists? Because the demand for artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing. PwC notes that by 2030 there could be a potential contribution to the global economy by $15 trillion due to AI. And any prediction process that involves AI needs someone to create the algorithm to drive that intelligence. Hence a desperate need for data scientists.
5 Ways to Bring in Quality Data Scientists
So, what can your company do to stand out in this crowded market?
Offer Purpose
Savvy organizations will interest candidates by assigning them interesting, mission-critical projects. Giving data scientists work that furthers a cause or is aligned with broader ESG goals can also help distinguish your company from others in the hiring market.
Free Them Up for Impact
Generally, data scientists are most effective when they are supported by a team that handles underlying engineering and data preparation tasks. For instance, teams that use proper data science and automated analytics intelligence systems, such as TIBCO® Data Science software, will experience fewer headaches and more innovation as an enterprise. It’s also a good approach to identify data-literate employees or citizen data scientists to serve as subject matter experts on the data science team. They can then support the data scientists in providing insights tailored to a specific business need.
Connect Them to the Business
Even the best data scientists will fail to deliver if they are disconnected from the business. To retain top talent, ensure your data scientists are connected with the business team so that they can continue to provide value to the organization. Your data scientists should not feel isolated; they are critical to solving complex problems in your business. To allow your data scientists to do their best work, they need a clear and permanent view of the inner workings.
Build a Pipeline of Tools and Talent
Another best practice is to deploy software to handle basic, repetitive tasks so that employees are not burdened by admin work or nonessential tasks that could be automated. In addition, consider collaborating with university and college programs on internship opportunities to share the non-technical tasks that could evolve into a candidate pool once these students graduate.
Train for Ongoing Success
The data science field and the supporting software and techniques continue to evolve. To stand out from the competition, companies should offer ongoing education opportunities and provide existing employees with the training they need to support data scientists effectively. Without the enterprise’s holistic support of data science, the pressure of keeping up with an entire organization’s AI can be very difficult for any data scientist on their own.
Getting Started with the TIBCO® Data Science Platform
And the best way to hire and retain top data science talent? Give your team a platform that meets and exceeds all their AI and ML needs. TIBCO Data Science solutions allow you to expand data science deployments across your organization by providing flexible authoring and deployment capabilities. Smart businesses rely on platforms that support the end-to-end analytics lifecycle while providing enterprise security and governance. Start your free trial today.