Data Literacy: An Online Boot Camp with Statistics Canada

Data literacy is often cited as one of the most desirable skills that a public servant can have in their toolkit. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the increasing use of digital technologies in government, means that it is more vital than ever that public servants know how to work with data.

This introductory level boot camp is designed to introduce public servants to a wide range of skills needed to use data effectively in government. It is tailor-made for people who are new to working with data or need a refresher on the foundational skills and knowledge you need to begin your data journey. The syllabus follows the steps in the Data Journey, which is supported by a foundation of data management concepts developed by Statistics Canada.

You’ll be guided through seven bite-sized lessons delivered via email which will include videos, quizzes, and articles, as well as other hands-on activities and resources.

Boot camp essentials:

• Boot camp starts: Tuesday 4th May 2021
• Length of boot camp: 7 lessons, with 1 weekly lesson over 7 weeks, ending 15th June 2021
• Lessons include: 20 minutes of required activities plus recommended tasks, resources and interactive exercises
• Your time commitment: A maximum of 20 minutes per lesson to earn a certificate of completion
• Target audience: Public servants at the municipal level
• Price: Free!

At the end of the boot camp – as long as you complete all the required activities – you’ll receive a certificate of completion.

What you’ll learn:

• The four-steps of the “data journey” from gathering and exploring data, through analysis and telling the data story
• What data quality is, and how to uphold it
• Good data stewardship, including the importance of data standards and metadata
• The key data literacy knowledge and skills you need to effectively work with data

Lesson plan:

• Week 1: Data fundamentals
• Week 2: Data stewardship and data quality
• Week 3: Data standards and metadata
• Week 4: Step 1: Find, gather, protect
• Week 5: Step 2: Clean, explore, describe
• Week 6: Step 3: Analyse and model
• Week 7: Step 4: Tell the story

Who should register:

This boot camp is designed for both individuals who are unfamiliar with working with data and want to learn the basic skills and team leaders who want to guide their teams to become data literate.

Do you manage or are you part of a team that wants to upskill? Take the boot camp with your colleagues and learn vital data skills together. There will be hints and tips for discussion points and group exercises throughout the boot camp which you can do as a team. (The course is self-paced, so you’ll still be able to complete it as an individual if you change your mind about learning as a team.)

Apolitical is delighted to offer this beta boot camp in partnership with Statistics Canada, Canada's national statistical organization. As part of Statistics Canada’s commitment to sharing knowledge and expertise to help all Canadians develop their data literacy skills, this exciting opportunity will allow registrants to play an active role in shaping the future of this boot camp by providing feedback to help fellow public servants.

Official Languages Notice

We are committed to ensuring that the content in this bootcamp is available in both official languages. Users should be aware that some non-essential information is available in English only.