Informing Rhode Island's Tech Talent Strategy

In collaboration with Commerce RI, DataSpark analyzed various components of the “Tech Pipeline” in Rhode Island. Using longitudinal, cross-agency linked data analysis, DataSpark determined how many people completed Computer Science degrees at the three public higher education institutions and tracked if those people were still working in the tech industry in Rhode Island. Through the analysis of successful Computer Science degree completion at the higher education level, analysts developed three proxies that could be used to determine if a student would be prepared to complete a Computer Science degree. Using the three determined proxies, analysts looked at high school seniors in Rhode Island public high schools in the 2013-2014 school year to determine how many students would be potentially prepared Computer Science degree candidates. Finally, DataSpark looked at two cohorts of graduates of Rhode Island public postsecondary institutions and determined what percentage of graduates were employed in Rhode Island after graduating.