Peter Behan, Director at Group Horizon, explains why the analysis of data is becoming increasingly important as a means to reduce costs and identify strategies for energy reduction.

Data is now justifiably recognised as a valuable business asset with the potential to shape commercial decisions and determine how organisations are run. But despite the inherent value contained within, data without insight can be practically useless.

This is why data analytics is becoming increasingly widespread and is no longer the sole preserve of large multinationals with substantial spending power. SMEs now have the cost-effective tools and technologies to dive into their data and use it to solve business problems or develop strategies for reducing costs.

The process behind the analysis itself involves gathering, inspecting, cleansing, transforming and modelling data. Once this procedure has been methodically performed by the data analyst, insights and trends can be identified which allow definitive conclusions to be formed and used to support future decision making. The data analyst is, therefore, a highly valued asset to businesses of all sizes, taking on the responsibility to consistently handle company data in a compliant and appropriately secure manner.

With more and more businesses looking to make sense of their data, the data analyst is becoming increasingly sought after, with organisations searching for individuals with the ability to scrutinise and understand the valuable information, before producing insightful reports and visuals. The qualified data analyst will have the expertise to work with different types of data stemming from a host of different departments – from sales data to logistics and inventory figures.

Responding to the increase in demand for data analytics, Group Horizon has launched a new apprenticeship – the Data Analyst Apprenticeship Level 4. Through a mix of webinars, digital delivery, face to face and site visits, the new course will educate individuals on how data can be used to answer questions and solve problems.

Reflecting the diverse techniques and approaches used in data analysis, the apprenticeship covers key topics such as data structures, data preparation, datamining, forecasting and modelling, dashboards and infographics, policy and legislation, analysis, reporting and interactivity, and continuing professional development.

For further information or to register an interest in the course visit: https://grouphorizon.co.uk/portfolio/data-analyst-apprenticeshp/