With Industry 4.0, data science (or data science) is becoming an essential discipline in companies. If the demand for data scientists is exploding, the number of courses in France is still limited. This is the niche in which the specialized Master's degree in Data Science for Engineering has positioned itself, as Jean-Marc Bourinet, the head of the training program, explains.
Can you introduce the Data Science for Engineering Specialized Master?
Jean-Marc Bourinet : The training was created in 2018 by Nicolas Gayton. It all started from a local initiative carried by the engineering schools Sigma Clermont and ISIMA, with the support of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region and the partner companies Agaetis, DeltaMu and Phimeca Engineering. The Master's degree is aimed at students with an initial education of Bac+5 level. We also welcome, in continuing education, professionals who wish to move towards the data science. In addition to an open profile, we recruit both French and foreign students, the latter having studied in France or in their country of origin.
There are very few training courses in data science in France...
Jean-Marc Bourinet : Training courses exist and are developing in France, the distinctive trademark of our training is its strong link to engineering.
How does the training work?
Jean-Marc Bourinet The initial training is done over the academic year with a start at the end of September. For continuing education, it is possible to spread it over two years. The mode of operation is the alternation between courses at the school, mainly placed at the beginning of the training, and the rest of the time in the company. The students are either under a professionalization contract or an internship agreement. We are of course looking to establish contacts with companies interested in hosting students.
" Courses exist and are being developed in France, the distinctive trademark of our training is its strong link to engineering. "
Jean-Marc Bourinet, head of the Data Science for Engineering Master's program
In what types of companies are students likely to do their work-study?
Jean-Marc Bourinet We can distinguish two types: on the one hand, companies that are already experts in data science and marketing services to certain manufacturers; on the other hand, companies that may have expertise in data science (large groups such as Michelin, Safran, Total) or with no internal skills, these companies having an industrial practice with data. For companies not initiated to the data scienceThe recruitment of a student will allow them to discover the techniques and to increase their competence. If, in the companies already expert in data scienceThe students are accompanied, they must be autonomous and a force of proposal in the other companies. It is obviously the objective of the Master's program to develop students' autonomy and openness, through project management courses and the realization of a project chosen by the student, in addition to providing them with a fairly broad spectrum of techniques.
Do you know how the integration of students from previous classes into the workforce was going?
Jean-Marc Bourinet Even if I don't have precise factual elements, the request in data science is such that job offers are relatively numerous and it is quite easy to place students with these skills on the job market. Having discussed this a lot with the industry, the demand is very high and the supply of training is not yet sufficient.
Interview by the editorial staff