The power of data: What can you study to better interpret it?

"Looking for a professional expert in data analysis, mining and management, algorithms, artificial intelligence, and software development." This phrase pretty much sums up the advertisements that companies seeking professionals in big data They consistently post on job portals. It's a common subject to appear in the rankings of the most in-demand and highest-paid jobs in the world, in the field of information and communications technologies. "There are statistics that tell us that the position of technology expert in data management is not only one of the five most difficult positions to fill today, but will continue to be so in the future," Joan Navarro Martín, academic director of the Master's Degree in Big Data at La Salle-URL, told ARA.

Although the concept of big data Although it has been around for decades, it wasn't until the mid-2010s that Catalonia began to experience a real training boom. Universities detected a growing demand from companies and began to create or adapt specific programs to train professionals in data analysis, management, and exploitation. Since then, the academic offering has continued to flourish. "Catalonia has a very attractive training offering," says Navarro. And he emphasizes one point: even today, the demand for specialized professionals exceeds the available supply.

A powerful training offer

In Catalonia, the academic offer in big data has experienced significant growth in recent years. Currently, there are several undergraduate, master's, and postgraduate programs focused on this discipline. For example, degrees such as Applied Data Science at the UOC or Data Engineering at the UAB, and master's degrees such as the one from La Salle-URL, the Master in Big Data & Data Science from the UB-IL3, the Master in Data Analytics for Business from UPF-BSM, and the Master in Business Intelligence and Big Data.

One of the most established and long-standing offerings is precisely this last one, the UOC's master's degree, with over twenty years of experience. Its flexible structure allows it to be taken in various formats—two years, one year, or even in the form of microcredentials.– and is open to both STEM profiles and students from the social sciences or business fields. "Since the program's creation, demand has continued to grow," says Josep Curto Díaz, director of the master's degree. The approach emphasizes data analysis applied to decision-making and strategic aspects such as data culture, governance, and team leadership.

With more than two decades of experience, the UOC's master's degree has evolved in step with market needs. "When we started in 2001, we talked about business intelligence as an unifying concept that included everything we know today as data science, artificial intelligence and big data", explains Josep Curto Díaz. That initial context – marked by the incipient digitalization of companies– has given way to a much more mature and specialized scenario, which requires specific profiles such as data analysts, data architects, or those responsible for analytical strategy in organizations.

"We continue to be committed to professional training," says Curto, who highlights the program's modularity and flexibility as an added value: it allows for different formats depending on the student's objectives and availability. This makes it suitable for both students looking to make a career change and active professionals looking to strengthen specific skills. "By providing different options for acquiring skills," he adds. –two years, one year, or six months– We align ourselves with lifelong continuous learning."

Also noteworthy is the La Salle-URL Master's Degree in Big Data, launched in 2015, which primarily attracts students from computer science, telecommunications, and electronics engineering programs. The technically and applied-oriented curriculum trains students to solve real-world problems through the use of advanced tools and methodologies. "Companies can't wait for students to complete the master's degree: they want to get to know them, collaborate with them, and attract them," explains Joan Navarro Martín, the program's academic director. The master's degree has forged alliances with more than 50 companies in sectors as diverse as transportation, fashion, banking, and sports.