By Juliette Roberts, Australian Bureau of Statistics
The APS Data Profession has recently released its Introduction to data in government eLearn modules through APSLearn. The modules are also available for agencies to adapt to their own Learning Management Systems (LMS) via APS Learning Bank.
Who is this course for?
These modules are for all APS staff, particularly those new to working in the public service or new to working with data. Anyone seeking to better understand how data is used in government, the frameworks and policies governing data usage, and the role of data in evidence-based decision-making will benefit from the course.
You can enrol in the course, and best of all – it’s free.
What the course covers
The course comprises 5 modules which cover:
- Module 1 – Data in government:
Defining government data; how it’s used; and the policy and frameworks governing how the government handles data. - Module 2 – Data integration:
How the government is maximising the value of data through integrated data assets. - Module 3 – Trust in data and government:
How public trust impacts data quality, policy development and service delivery; and the frameworks, principles and guidelines which ensure ethical data practices. - Module 4 – Evidence-based decision-making and data storytelling:
Defining evidence-based decision-making; key considerations when providing data and evidence to support decision-making; and the characteristics and value of data storytelling. - Module 5 – Building data capability in the Data Profession:
Introduction to the APS Data Profession and how can you further develop your data capability.
Background
While the recruitment for the Data Graduate Stream has been centralised since 2020, the training provided to Data Graduates has varied across agencies. This led to the APS Data Profession developing modules to address gaps in data graduate training. In 2021, a graduate project team from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) was tasked with scoping user needs to ensure the modules were relevant and fit for purpose, and helped determined the topics to be covered in the modules.
A project team, led by the Department of Education, with contributions from the Department of Social Services, ABS, Services Australia, Department of Defence, and the Department of Health, developed a suite of 3 modules. These were delivered, via Teams, to the data graduates in 2023 and 2024 and were facilitated by subject matter experts from various agencies. A subset of these modules was also included in the Australian Public Service Commission’s Graduate Development Program.
Following feedback from participants over the 2 years of facilitated deliveries, the Data Profession engaged a provider to develop the content into 5 short eLearn modules.