27 September 2023

New Data Stream for APS professionalism

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The Australian Public Service Commissioner has launched a new Data Professional Stream to underpin the continuing development of data capabilities across the Australian Public Service (APS) workforce.

APS Commissioner Peter Woolcott (pictured) also announced that Australian Statistician, David Gruen would be the first Head of the new Professional Stream

Making the announcements Mr Woolcott said data were critical for Governments to make informed, effective decisions and that the Data Professional Stream would underpin the further development of a skilled data workforce across the APS.

“The Data Professional Stream is grounded in a strategy to lift the data capability of the APS workforce, to generate deeper insights, inform evidence-based decisions and enable more effective service delivery,” Mr Woolcott said.

“The launch of the Stream will also see a range of practical initiatives to identify and grow talent, increase mobility across data roles, and build diversity into data roles.”

He said these included getting it right from the start — looking at how data talent was attracted to the APS; lifting entry level skills; and creating the diversity profile of people in data roles.

In addition is the development of sophisticated and specialist capabilities, including identifying and promoting learning and development opportunities and designing data role profiles.

Finally, Mr Woolcott said, there was the embedding of a professional workforce — building career pathways, professional communities and professional standards.

Dr Gruen said the role of the Head of the Data Profession was to champion good use of data, engender support for the strategy and, through collaboration and contributions from all supporting Agencies, deliver an effective program of work that brought the strategy to life.

“The APS has long recognised the value of good data and its role in effective decision-making,” Dr Gruen said.

“The launch of the Data Professional Stream is a strong statement of the importance the APS places on making sure that we provide a service-wide approach to continually lifting the capability of our data users and data professionals, while attracting and retaining the best talent possible.”

The Data Profession is the third professional stream for the APS, following the launch of the Human Resources Profession in October 2019 and the Digital Profession in April 2020.

The Strategy behind the Stream can be accessed at this PS News link.

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