Bridging the gap between school and biz world

Making the leap from school to the workplace after graduation may no longer be that difficult for business students of this school in Metro Manila.

Aiming to bridge the gap between the academe and business community in the area of business intelligence and analytics education in the country, the Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT) in Makati City has forged a partnership with business analytics company SAS.

Under the agreement, forged under the SAS Global Academic Program, Mapua will initially offer the SAS Specialization Track to third-year students enrolled in its School of Information and Technology.

Modules

The 12-unit elective course includes modules that focus on analytical skills, including making effective business decisions, systematic planning and accurate predictions. The program is set to begin next school term, with around 80 students already signed up for the course.

“Mapua recognizes the growing need for students to be equipped with competitive knowledge in the fields of business intelligence and analytics, especially in today’s modern business environment,” said MIT president Dr. Reynaldo Vea. “We believe the course will help our graduates acquire skills that will make them more employable.”

Upon completion of the program, students will be given the option to pursue professional SAS certification.

According to SAS, Business Intelligence and Analytics has evolved from an optional “good to have” to a required “must have” in today’s modern business world.

“Essentially, companies in every industry across different countries have a growing need for people who have the knowledge and skills to design and apply Business Intelligence and Analytics solutions to a range of real problems utilizing massive data. Business Intelligence and Analytics professionals must have a strong foundation in data management, business process automation and management, and decision analytics and models,” said SAS.

Students who take the curriculum will gain the necessary range and depth of capabilities, it added.

“SAS was founded in the academe and by academics, and this is our way of giving back,” said SAS Philippines operations director Maxie Ventura Garin. “We are dedicated to supporting the academe and helping in curriculum development and training.”

Constant demand

The SAS Global Academic Program has been in the Philippines for more than 10 years. Because of the constant demand for business analytics in the country, the need for SAS skills has risen for the past years as well, prompting the company to expand its academic alliances locally.

SAS-integrated courses have also been implemented at the University of the Philippines, De La Salle University and Asia Pacific College.

Meanwhile, SAS also announced that the Malayan High School of Science, an affiliate school of MIT, will be exclusively offering SAS Curriculum Pathways—Web-based, interactive, and standards-based resources in English, Math, Science, Social Studies/History and Spanish—for high school students.

“SAS plans to continue providing quality education through the SAS curriculum and practical experiences by making its technologies accessible to academic institutions. We aim to raise the caliber of fresh graduates in the Philippines and supply the pool of resources as demanded by the market by propagating SAS skills,” Garin said.