Every minute of the day, vast amounts of data is created and captured across the world. From tweets to smart cars or electricity grids to banking transactions, this is a rich resource but it only becomes useful when it’s processed into information and insights. 

When the value of data is unlocked, it can drive better practice and results at many different levels.  At a company it can show where business is progressing, highlight challenges and develop new strategies for success.  

In public administration, patterns of changing social needs or usage of services can emerge to help better target policy or staff resources. Analyzing and interpreting data can also help test, measure and evaluate new environmental initiatives, like transport schemes.  For consumers, data can deliver better designed services and products. 

Data skills are essential 

As more businesses and public services digitize, working with data is fast becoming a must-have skill in the workplace, and yet not everyone can access the latest knowledge and experience to develop their data skills.  Women are among those who often have not had the opportunity to develop their capacity in this area.

This is where the new Data Interpreter project comes in, with a dual aim to both empower women with professional data skills, and support them to build a career plan based on their new knowledge.  

And of course, a data literate workforce will contribute more widely by boosting the contribution that insights from data can make to wider social and economic goals. 

Our Italian member Altroconsumo is part of this innovative programme, leading on engaging and communicating with the target audience of women aged 34-50 who are currently unemployed. 

Other partners are MEET Digital Culture Center whose aim is to close the digital divide in Italy,  Piano C who support women to re-engage in the workplace, and Formaper, a special agency of the Chamber of Commerce of Milan, Monza Brianza and Lodi committed to training and employment. 

Data Interpreter training begins 

The first cohort of 45 women have just begun the first programme of free digital training. They will learn core data skills in line with the most recent market and tech developments. 

These cover a full range from: basics tools to search data, verify reliability and identify errors in a dataset to using Python syntax and creating reports. Making the most of new AI and machine learning techniques is also covered, from how to control for quality and write good prompts, and how to use it for data visualization and storytelling. 

As well as these technical skills, the participants will get support to develop transferable skills like project management and presentation skills and mentoring to support self-confidence and a job search strategy.  

Altroconsumo is proud to work in such an innovative partnership to build better data literacy which will benefit not just the individual participants, but all of society.

About the project: The project has been selected and supported by the Fund for the Digital Republic – Social Enterprise. The Fund for the Digital Republic was born from a partnership between the public and private social sectors (Government and Association of Foundations and Savings Banks – Acri) and, on an experimental basis for the years 2022-2026, allocates a total of about 350 million euros. It is financed by payments made by foundations of banking origin. The aim is to increase digital skills and develop the country’s digital transition. To implement the Fund’s programs – which operates within the digitization objectives set out in the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) and the FNC (Complementary National Fund) – in May 2022, the Fund for the Digital Republic – Social Enterprise was born, a non-profit organization wholly owned by Acri. For more information see www.fondorepubblicadigitale.it