Dozens of locals are training for $100,000+ data science jobs, thanks to SoftBank

SoftBank Group International, the Miami-based arm of the global venture giant, along with Miami-Dade County, the Miami-Dade Beacon Council economic development organization, the city of Miami, and other partners announced Monday they are sponsoring approximately three dozen Miami-Dade residents in a data science training course that aims to increase skills and advance the careers of young adults from under-represented backgrounds.

The 13-week Data Science for All online program, created by the tech company Correlation One, was launched in February with an initial global cohort of 1,009 individuals from Black, Latino, female and LGBTQ+ communities for in-demand, high-paying careers in technology.

Data show that Black people make up just 3% of data and analytics professionals, while women overall make up only 15% of data scientists, according to the recruiting firm Harnham. The average salary for a data scientist is $122,865 per year in the United States, according to February figures from the jobs site Indeed.

“DS4A is actually helping me change careers, and it’s opening some doors for me in the industry that I wouldn’t have by myself,” said Boutaina Ali, a Miami resident whose previous professional experience included working in the real estate industry, in a release. “Firstly I learned to code using Python. I’m also learning critical thinking and statistics and how to tell a story using Data Science. More than that through this program I learned that I can actually succeed in this career with a lot of perseverance and research even though I come from a different background.”

”It’s only been four months since we announced DS4A Empowerment, and we’re already seeing precisely what type of impact this will have on our talent pipeline,” Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said in a statement.

The initial cohort of trainees has been placed into teams to work on capstone data analytics projects solving real data challenges, some devised by SoftBank’s portfolio companies. Applications for a second cohort will open in the coming weeks, Correlation One says.

“Building the technology companies of the future starts with upskilling talent to bring a deep understanding of AI and data science to our workforce,” said Marcelo Claure, CEO of SoftBank Group International, in a statement. “We are encouraged to see DS4A Empowerment participants excelling in their training and look forward to welcoming many of them to jobs inside SoftBank’s growing portfolio.”

In addition to the county and city, SoftBank International’s other partners in the fellowship effort include the Inter-American Development Bank’s IDB Lab, Microsoft, and Miami Dade College.

Added Matt Haggman, executive vice president of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council’s One Community, One Goal initiative, in a statement: “The Data Science for All Empowerment program is a critically important effort to expand opportunity among underrepresented groups in tech and build a diverse workforce for the jobs of tomorrow. Innovation is built on a diversity of people and ideas. The more inclusive we are, the more innovative — and successful — our community will be.