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Experiential Data Analytics Micro-credentials: Robot Training Academy

Recognition Year(s): 2025
School: Goodman School of Business, Brock University
Location: Canada

The Robot Training Academy, a collaboration between the Centre for Business Analytics (CBA) at Brock University’s Goodman School of Business and Rel8ed Analytics, is designed to empower students in their professional aspirations in the data analytics industry. Contributing to the economic resilience of the community, it promotes the local talent pool to help address skills gaps and meet the evolving needs of employers. Adapted to current industry trends and best practices, this innovative program creates a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing.

Call to Action

Seeing a continuous need for analytics education, Rel8ed—a founding member of Goodman’s CBA—initially developed the curriculum in the spring semester of 2016, with five Brock students enrolled. In 2017, the program expanded to include the District School Board of Niagara, with a special focus on making co-operative education opportunities available to high school students regardless of background.

Renamed the Robot Training Academy in 2021, the program further expanded to serve high school and college students across the border in Western New York. With Brock University as the head institution, the program now also serves students in the U.S. at the University of Rochester and State University of New York Buffalo State University. This extension allows students to collaborate with each other between institutions.

The partnership CBA and Rel8ed Analytics has been beneficial for all involved. Rel8ed is a well-respected provider of commercial and unique specialty data. Their data experts, who are primarily former graduates of the Goodman School of Business, leverage the power of their global database and advanced proprietary tools to find, curate, and squeeze the best decisions out of data.

The Goodman School of Business and Rel8ed Analytics share their passion and knowledge with the next generation of leaders to ignite the same excitement in them. More specifically, this collaborative program equips local high school, college, and university students from all backgrounds with the tools to thrive in their future careers and learn through applied knowledge.

Innovation Description

The Robot Training Academy offers specialized training in a rapidly expanding industry with hands-on experience while facilitating networking opportunities and enhancing students’ resumes. Rel8ed’s experts work with students to gain technical proficiency in data science and to develop the analytical skills required for data interpretation and fine-tuning artificial intelligence systems.

The training program is conveniently accessible online over the course of seven weeks, and each module is delivered over a few days. Open to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, the program welcomes a variety of students with an interest in data analytics and artificial intelligence.

Students can choose one or both microcredentials: Data Processing and Data Understanding. Data Processing microcredential topics include Introduction to Python, Processing with Python, Website Scraping, Decision Tree Algorithms, and Querying Data. Data Understanding microcredential topics include Data Research, Data Quality, Classifying Data Sources, Ethics and Data Sources, and Website Tagging.

Goodman faculty integrate this program and its learning outcomes with data analytics courses offered in the undergraduate and graduate programs—a strategy that provides students with practical data analytics experience.

Innovation Impact

The Robot Training Academy impacts Goodman students’ career advancement and ignites excitement about the practical application of their knowledge, acquired both in the classroom and through the training program. Even with no prior data knowledge, students complete the training with a solid understanding of data and data processing. With these skills, they are able to solve complex problems using data and drive transformative business changes.

Advanced students are often assigned to project teams with real-world Rel8ed clients, which furthers their knowledge and creates a direct bridge for employment opportunities. Past client projects with student work from the program include the International Data Corporation, Microsoft, the National Bank of Canada, Canada Post, the U.S. Army, and Dell Technologies.

As CBA values the importance of access to knowledge, especially in this growing industry of data analytics, Goodman students receive the course for free. The Brock University Office of the Provost and Vice-President provided 80,000 CAD (over 55,000 USD) of funding to CBA to support Goodman students and their paths to continued learning.

As the world becomes increasingly reliant on data and artificial intelligence, the Robot Training Academy is essential to cultivate best practices for technology, processes, and delivery systems.

The microcredential model and program modules will continue to innovate and adapt alongside the data analytics industry. This adaptability, combined with immersed industry experts leading the training program, ensures that it is meeting the needs of future leaders and organizations. Together, CBA and Rel8ed are shaping the future of data analytics and preparing the next generation for excellence.

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