Strong Start for Government Trainees with Utrecht University Data Programme

On behalf of the Ministry of the Interior, the Faculty of Science developed a training program for civil service trainees in co-creation with the ministry.

These young professionals are prepared for a career as data professionals within the government. After a procurement process, Utrecht University was selected in 2023 to deliver this program four times.

The program consists of three clusters, each spanning three to four course days. The first cluster focuses entirely on onboarding. Program coordinator Georg Krempl explains: “The group of trainees is very diverse. Some have a master’s degree in data science, AI, mathematics, or statistics. Others have taken electives in these fields, and a third group is encountering data for the first time.”

The course starts with an introductory day, followed by four half-days each covering a different topic: programming in R and Python, extracting data from databases with SQL, statistics and machine learning, and using large language models such as ChatGPT. “For those who cannot yet program, interacting with these models is particularly instructive,” Krempl says. “Shortly after ChatGPT was launched, we included it in the program. It is important that participants learn how to use this tool and what pitfalls to avoid. If you don’t ask the right question, you get poor code.”

The second cluster—called Nurturing—forms the core of the program. Here, trainees receive in-depth modules on computer science, ethics, methods, and statistics. In the third cluster—named Inspiring—participants dive even deeper into the material and explore related topics such as data-intensive systems, cloud computing, and natural language processing. On the final day, they discuss a self-chosen issue with university experts. Krempl says: “We ensure a strong connection between theory and practice. The trainees are interested in good practical examples. Therefore, we share many best practices in the program so they can immediately apply them in their work.”