Understanding Statistics in the World of Work

In today’s data-driven world, interpreting labour market statistics is a crucial skill. This one-week intensive course is designed to empower students with the knowledge, critical thinking, and data visualization skills necessary to navigate the complexities of labour market data. The course delves into the multifaceted role of statistics in labour market analysis: the potential for misuse, the influence of politics, the role of statistics in social policies, and the importance of statistics to understand social and technological transitions. The course will help students visualise such statistics using R and/or STATA and provide strategies for robust interpretation of statistics on job creation, unemployment, training, and informality.

Course leader

Mantej Pardesi

Target group

Students should have basic knowledge of statistics and statistical software such as R and/or STATA (can be). Students should have a keen interest in understanding labour market statistics. Students should have attended introductory level courses in data science, economics, or sociology.

Course aim

• Comprehend the foundations of labour market statistics.
• Identify and scrutinise misuse of labour market statistics (by governments, politicians, and businesses).
• Engage in data interpretation, analysis, and visualisation using R and/or STATA.
• Forecasting labour market statistics.
• Consider future trends in labour market statistics.
• Develop skills in ethical interpretation of labour market statistics.