Accenture in Ireland Launches Data Science Course for Women in STEM

ACCENTURE IN IRELAND LAUNCHES DATA SCIENCE COURSE FOR WOMEN IN STEM

• Company launches new evening course to encourage women to join the data science sector
• 30 successful participants will join the inaugural six-week programme on February 20^th, 2019
• Medb Corcoran, Ireland Lead at Accenture Labs, to serve as programme judge

17 January 2019: Accenture in Ireland continues to lead the way in supporting women in technology with the launch of its new Women in Data Science Accelerator. As part of its ongoing commitment to women in STEM, this six-week evening programme will build and develop the data science capabilities of women who already hold applied data skills or have broader numerical experience and are interested in the field. Participants will get the opportunity to network with other women pursuing data science careers and learn from Accenture experts in the field.

Medb Corcoran, Ireland Lead at Accenture Labs, will deliver the Leadership Stories segment of the course and also serve as a judge. Recently named Disrupter of the Year at the Women in Tech Awards 2018 and Data Leader of the Year at the Women in IT Awards 2018, both in November, Corcoran’s data science career spans 16years. Accenture’s leadership in diversity was further celebrated at the November awards with six awards for the company women leaders in total.

Accenture’s Women in Data Science Accelerator

30 women will be selected to participate in the six-week course hosted at The Dock, Accenture’s multidisciplinary research and incubation hub. The curriculum consists of “Focus on You” and “Focus on Data Science” modules, to help participants build their data science skillsets and further their professional development, as well as a “Focus on Project” collaborative assignment. These will run for two hours per week in a classroom environment, with an additional 2-4 hours weekly for the project.

The course will provide a unique insight into the day-to-day work of a data scientist while at the same time offer great networking opportunities with Accenture’s experienced data scientists and digital leaders.

Speaking on the programme launch day, Medb Corcoran, Ireland Lead at Accenture Labs, said: “This course underlines Accenture’s ongoing commitment to celebrating and fostering diversity not only throughout the organisation but right across Ireland’s technology sector. It is through programmes like our Women in Data Science Accelerator that we can bring together women who have a passion for data and analytics and provide them with industry-led lectures, hands-on workshops and career guidance to help build a career in data science.”

Paul Pierotti, Accelerator Programme MD Sponsor, added: “Participants on the course can expect to hear from Accenture data scientists at all career levels who will share their career stories, provide case studies for round table discussion and consult on course project questions. It’s a great career development opportunity to upskill, collaborate and network with fellow and aspiring data scientists.”

To find out more and to register your interest, visit the website www.accenture.com/WomenInData

The closing date for expressions of interest is Friday, 8^th February 2019. Participants will be notified of acceptance onto the course by Accenture between the 8^th-15^th February 2019. The course will begin on Wednesday 20^thFebruary 2019 and run for six weeks until Wednesday 27^th March 2019.

The data science course is just one part of Accenture’s broader strategy to encourage and promote Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths (STEM). From the virtual Skills to Succeed Academy – a free, interactive online training programme to give people the skills and confidence to choose the right career and better position themselves to get a job or build a business – to supporting the Dublin City University’s STEM Teacher Internship programme which aims to help young teachers educate future students about career paths in STEM.

If you would like to have your company featured in the Irish Tech News Business Showcase, get in contact with us at [email protected] or on Twitter: @SimonCocking