MDEC backs SAS in need for data analytics talent
KUALA LUMPUR, 22 SEPTEMBER 2020 – SAS, a leader in analytics, will be launching its SAS Software Certified Young Professionals (SCYP) programme for students in Malaysia, the first in Southeast Asia.
In collaboration with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), the SAS SCYP programme will aim to equip at least 500 students this year with in-demand analytics knowledge and expertise in a Covid-19 impacted employment market.
This will help to meet the growing demand for data science and analytics professionals across industries in the region.
Digital adoption in Malaysia has accelerated tremendously over the past several months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The government through MDEC has identified technology as the key enabler to respond to the new normal and to address the economic situation.
As a result, MDEC has been actively promoting the #SayaDigital movement and the Government’s PENJANA programmes. They hope these will create industry-ready digitally-skilled Malaysians.
“SAS has a deep-rooted history in academia. Launching a programme to empower Malaysian students with SAS analytics knowledge and expertise helps in answering the rising demand for technology professionals in Southeast Asia,” said Cheam Tat Inn, SAS Malaysia.
“Business organisations need people who can make sense of data, manage and analyse it, build models and determine what information delivers the most value. Students with an analytical skillset will be highly sought after,” said Cheam Tat Inn, SAS Managing Director in Malaysia.
“Our strategic partnership with SAS aligns perfectly with our commitment to ensuring delivery of technology relevant programmes to Malaysian students and help Malaysians make the digital leap into the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).
“We see our public-private partnership initiatives such as SAS contributing to Malaysia’s overall growth of the data science skills required in the workforce to support the digitally-driven economy, which is also critical to meet the demand of the current and future job market,” said MDEC’s Chief Executive Officer, Pn. Surina Shukri.
The SAS SCYP programme will enable students to work towards SAS certification in programming, machine learning and visual analytics through e-learning courses at their own pace.
The collaborative and engaging programme facilitates learning by having students join SAS Communities and register for online SAS webinars, led by SAS experts, where they can ask questions and be provided with the latest information.
Once students have completed the e-learning courses and attended the associated webinars, they will be able to take the certification exam, with guidance from SAS experts on how to prepare, and use available practice exams to bolster the learning experience and exam-readiness.
Upon certification, SAS offers support in connecting students with SAS customers looking for young data science professionals.
In Southeast Asia, the set of free or heavily subsidised online courses are available to undergraduate, post-graduate and PhD students who are enrolled at a University, Business School or University College in Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.
There are currently three (3) courses available for students in Malaysia and Vietnam, and five (5) courses available for students in Indonesia. The programmes available to students from all three countries include:
• Getting Started with SAS – SAS Certified Associate: Programming Fundamentals
• Learning More with SAS – SAS Certified Professional: Advanced Programming
• Learning Statistics with SAS – SAS Certified Statistical Business Analyst
• Machine Learning with SAS – SAS Certified Specialist: Machine Learning
• Visualization with SAS – SAS Certified Specialist: Visual Business Analyst
The SCYP programme builds on a history of support for analytics education in the region. SAS has recently supported eight award programmes for students and educators to acknowledge the significant contributions to advancing analytics education, and has collaborated with educational institutions to develop more local talent in data science, analytics, and AI.