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Coaching support at a distance – using data analytics to enhance employability programmes

Using data analytics to enhance employability programmes.

The Institute of Employability Professionals, Digital Technology Conference took place last month between 20 and 24 September. As part of one of the key themes of the event, ‘Coaching support at a distance’, Mark Abrahams, Head of Research and Analytics at Aptem, presented a data masterclass. The talk was entitled: Optimising employment delivery through utilising data insights from the jobseeker journey.

In the masterclass, Mark discussed how digitalised platforms used to deliver employability programmes such as Kickstart and Restart can capture a wide array of data. This data doesn’t necessarily have to be collected for compliance or contractual reasons. But, it can be used to identify key data insights that shape future employability programmes.

The importance of data analytics

Mark explored different aspects of the data we currently have. It can improve operational performance from both a work coach and jobseeker’s perspective, as well as aid in predicting outcomes and managing risk. Data can be collected and digested in a number of standards ways, from statistical formats, charts, and simple trend analyses. It can also be more complexly processed data through the use of artificial intelligence to create predictive models and analyse risk.

In order to create a full picture and understanding of a provider’s offering, data benchmarks and objectives need to be identified for your data requirements. The different types of data, i.e. descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, prescriptive or evaluative, should also be explored in order to meet the required purpose of collection.

Are there opportunities to collect further data insights?

From a psychological perspective, one of the key predictors of success is not always the skills around job search and CV writing. Rather, the sense of self-efficacy is key. It can play an integral part in how active jobseekers can be in their job search. Therefore, there are additional data points that can be collected to influence these key factors, for example personality traits.  

To view the recording of Mark’s masterclass and learn what other data points your organisation could be utilising, click here.

Building a data culture 

To drive such changes in an organisation, another vital consideration is the existing data culture among teams. Not having the correct mindset among teams when communicating data insights can have many disadvantages. It can lead to misinterpretations of the data and low-quality data.   

Ultimately data can operationally add great value to employability programmes. However, to move away from being data-rich and insight-poor it is important to firstly establish which aspects of your employability programmes you are trying to improve through data analytics. Mark discusses this in more detail during the masterclass. You can download the full set of slides here.

For more information about Aptem’s products and how they can support your journey to being a data-rich, insight-rich employability or training provider please click here.

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