Educational Level Implications on Careers in Statistics (ELICS) in the Classroom

Music City Center 

Field-specific career survey courses are not present at many institutions, and where they are, they often do not address education level on career implications. In some fields such as medicine, it is well known that being a doctor requires going to medical school and residency, and what that career and salary path looks like. For areas such as mathematics and statistics, the implications of continuing or stopping one's education are not as clearly laid out to students. At some employers, the work you are allowed to perform and political influence you are allowed to wield are dictated by your education level, not just your level of experience. Currently statistics students arrive to the field with a mismatch of education level and goals for their work experience, as they were not advised on the implications of their choices.
A career survey activity was developed, with the goal of exposing undergraduate statistics and data science students to this concept, and therefore helping students align their educational plans with the types of jobs they want to have post-graduation. The project consisted of a pre- and post-survey to measure the efficacy of the activity by assessing changes in student perceptions, with flexibility in how an instructor utilizes class time. With IRB approval, interested instructors were sought to expand this research. In spring 2025 the career survey activity was deployed in a variety of institutions across the US including public and private and large and small, with both large and small undergraduate statistics and data science classes. The resulting changes in student perceptions on career expectations will be shared with the audience.

Statistics education

Statistical careers

undergraduates

Student perceptions