Big Data software, training leader SAS to offer program at U of M technology institute

Memphis Commercial Appeal

SAS will offer first university-based training center at University of Memphis technology center.

A global leader in software that mines and analyzes Big Data will put its first university-based training center at the FedEx Institute of Technology at University of Memphis.

SAS officials will be in Memphis on Jan. 24 to sign an agreement for the center, along with leaders from FedEx Corp. and the institute, the U of M announced Wednesday.

The university touted the SAS offering as a major step forward in increasing the size and technical sophistication of the Mid-South technology workforce.

“Data analytics and business intelligence serve as the foundation for competition between cities and nations, especially with the advent of artificial intelligence,” FedEx Institute Executive Director Jasbir Dhaliwal said in a release. “Our collaboration with SAS will create a talent pipeline to help our corporations and our city compete on this basis.”

It will be the first SAS public training center at a university, enabling trainees to apply for tuition reimbursements from their organizations to SAS training courses.

U of M faculty will support experts from SAS to provide training in classrooms and a virtual lab environment.

Course offerings will include SAS programming and advanced analytics leading to certifications such as SAS Certified Base Programmer, SAS Certified Advanced Programmer and SAS Certified Predictive Modeler Using SAS Enterprise Miner.

SAS, based in Cary, North Carolina, stands for “Statistical Analysis System.”

Started at North Carolina State University as a project to analyze agricultural research, it morphed into the SAS Institute in 1976 to meet a growing demand for analytical software in public and private sectors. The SAS Global Certification program began in 1999.

SAS in 2016 had $3.2 billion in revenue and its software was in use at more than 83,000 businesses, government entities and universities, including 94 of the top 100 companies on the 2016 Fortune Global 500.

“The SAS training center at the FedEx Institute of Technology will not only help meet the analytics talent needs of Memphis-area organizations, but provide rewarding career opportunities for students and adult learners,” said Sean O’Brien, vice president of SAS Education.

Reach reporter Wayne Risher at (901) 529-2874 or wayne.risher@commercialappeal.com.