Data Capability

Data Skills Professional

Level 2 in the DataSMART series of programmes, in partnership with The Analytics Institute and Microsoft.

This programme is aimed at professionals who work with data regularly and want to strengthen both their collaborative working skills and their practical Power BI capability. It opens with two transversal workshops on teamwork and design thinking, then takes participants on a structured, hands-on Power BI pathway - from building a first report through to publishing and sharing insights across an organisation.

Download brochure

At a glance

What you need to know

Data Skills for Professionals is the second level in our DataSMART series in partnership with The Analytics Institute and Microsoft.

An overview of the programme and the framework behind it can be found here.

The programme at a glance

modules

weeks

Blended

Outcomes

What you'll learn

Future-Ready Cognitive Data Skills

Innovation & Design Thinking

Teamwork & Collaboration

Data & Digital Fluency Skills

Storytelling with Data

Data Analysis with MS-Power BI

Building Beautiful Dashboards

Data Modelling & Calculation

About the programme

The Data Skills for Professionals is designed for:

It’s for professionals already employed in a role where they use data analysis tools to support a company’s decision-making. They might also already be involved in complex project work that requires a wide use of varied data. This course would suit full-time employees who can seamlessly incorporate the training into their working calendar. The course is suitable for people working in varied industries and sectors.

Why attend?

You’re already at the coalface of data analysis but looking to take things to the next level and add value to your skillset. With two years of experience already under your belt, you want to upskill in key areas such as cognitive data skills with expertise in innovation and design thinking as well as soft skills such as teamwork and collaboration. You also want ‘hands-on’ learning to understand how data helps with storytelling and how to build beautiful dashboards. Sound good? Then this course, with professional certification, is for you.

Course content

What you'll cover

Module 1

Teamwork and Collaboration

Track: Transversal Skills

Looks at the behaviours and conditions that enable data teams to perform well, including psychological safety, constructive communication and the value of diverse perspectives. Through discussion and interactive exercises, participants develop practical strategies for improving collaboration within their own teams.

Module 2

Innovation and Design Thinking

Track: Transversal Skills

Introduces the design thinking process, from understanding user needs through empathy and research to ideation, prototyping and testing. Participants use empathy-mapping and rapid-prototyping exercises to practise generating and testing creative solutions collaboratively.

Module 3

Getting Started with Power BI

Track: Data & Digital Fluency Skills

A hands-on introduction to Power BI, covering how to connect to data sources such as Excel and CSV files, clean and shape data using Query Editor, and build a first report using a range of chart types and visualisations.

Module 4

Building Interactive Reports for Sharing

Track: Data & Digital Fluency Skills

Builds on the basics to cover filters, slicers, drilldowns and custom tooltips that let end users explore reports for themselves, along with navigation design and Power BI's built-in AI-powered visuals for deeper analysis.

Module 5

Delving Deeper into Power BI

Track: Data & Digital Fluency Skills

Introduces more advanced data modelling, including relationships between multiple tables and the DAX formula language, so participants can build calculated columns and measures such as totals, averages and conditional calculations.

Module 6

Sharing and Collaborating in Power BI

Track: Data & Digital Fluency Skills

Covers publishing reports to the Power BI Service, building dashboards by pinning visuals, and managing sharing and access permissions. The module closes with a consolidation task where participants apply the full pathway to a raw dataset and present their findings.

Delivery Partners

Led by

Analytics Institute

Microsoft

FAQs

What people ask us

FAQs on this course

General FAQs

Is the programme funded?

The programme is run by Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet in association with the Analytics Institute. The programme is part-funded allowing organisations and individuals to benefit from a reduced course cost.

Is the programme certified?

The programme is certified by the Analytics Insititute.

Do I have to start at Practitioner level or can I choose the level that best suits my experience?

You choose the course level that suits your needs. You do not need to start at Practitioner level. If you are having difficulty choosing the right course, please contact us, we are happy to help.

General FAQs

Who can join the Digital Skillnet Network?

Network membership is free for private sector and commercial semi-state companies based in the Republic of Ireland.

Once registered, eligible member companies can access Digital Skillnet part-funded programmes, helping reduce the cost of training and making upskilling more accessible across your organisation.

What are the aims of the Digital Skillnet Network?

The aim of the network is:

To support software and digital technology companies to remain at the cutting edge of skills and knowledge.
To enable companies to gain access to staff training and development programmes which are aligned to their current needs.
To work with educational bodies in strategic partnerships to develop new educational solutions to meet new software sector needs.
To provide funding support for staff training thereby lowering training costs for companies.
To extend up-skilling opportunities to more employees and companies across the sector.

How can a training provider join Digital Skillnet's roster?

As training requirements arise, the network invites suitable trainers to quote or tender for the delivery of each programme.

Contact us for further information

Where does Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet funding come from?

Technology Ireland DIGITAL Skillnet receives funding on an annual basis under the Training Networks Programme from Skillnet Ireland, the enterprise-led training agency. This allows the network to provide courses at a lower cost than commercial training courses – while still being delivered by the highest quality experts and trainers.

Over the last 3 years the Digital Skillnet has been awarded subsidies in excess of €2 million to support companies by significantly lowering the cost, and increasing the effectiveness of, organisational development strategies. The specific levels of subsidy for companies are allocated on a course-by-course basis.

What is Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet?

Established in 2010, Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet (“Digital Skillnet”) is the national training network for Ireland's Digital Technology sector. Our mission is to enable workforce development, performance and competitiveness for companies and their workforce through innovative upskilling solutions, backed by government funding. We support companies in all sectors to accelerate digital capacity, transformation and strategic innovation.

Member companies include a combination of indigenous organisations and multinational foreign direct investment (FDI) firms.

The Network Sponsor is Technology Ireland, a federation within Ibec, the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (www.ibec.ie). Our upskilling initiatives are co-funded by the Government of Ireland, the European Union through the European Social Fund ESF+ and Network Companies.

How can Digital Skillnet help companies to fund their training needs?

Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet receives government funding. This allow us to provide support on course fees so that companies incur lower costs than commercial training courses.

Through the network, we also use our combined buying power to achieve the best training rates from providers.

Subsidised fees for network members are shown on our training schedule. These are the costs after funding support from the network.
Typical savings of 40-60% for companies through DIGITAL Skillnet

To access subsisidised course fees companies can join the network. Network membership is free and is open to all enterprises in the Republic of Ireland.

Send us a question