IBM teams up with Ohio State University to teach data analystics

IBM has teamed up with Ohio State University on new datacentre project, to give students real world experience on working in the powerhouses of modern businesses.

IBM hopes the partnership will push more individuals to learn big data analytics skills and contribute to the growing industry.

"Data is a powerful natural resource that if used wisely can drive US economic competitiveness and lead to rewarding careers in the future dedicated to building a smarter planet," said senior vice president of IBM's software solutions group Mike Rhodin.

"This centre will have a tremendous amount to offer: world-class educational institutions, a highly-educated workforce, industry-leading businesses and - perhaps most important of all - will serve as the foundation of a community of innovators that will transform industries around the world."

According to IBM, the centre will bring 500 jobs to Ohio over the next three years. The company hopes the new centre will create compelling ways to handle the growing challenges of big data analytics.

For Ohio State University, the centre means more opportunities for its students to learn about the growing field. University officials say the partnership will be able to help a variety of students gain an education in the growing field of big data analytics.

"Our strong collaboration with IBM will help our students across a variety of majors gain the latest skills in this burgeoning big data discipline and set them on a path to secure the high skilled jobs of the future," said the dean of Ohio State's Fisher College of Business, Christine Poon.

As part of the partnership IBM will be providing the university with curriculum materials and case studies to strengthen student's studies into big data analytics.

The IBM and Ohio State University partnership comes at a key time in the development of big data analytics. A recent study found that the field is in need of educated data scientists.

A recent Gartner study also found that the big data market will bring 4.4 million jobs to the IT sector by 2015.