Queensland Health fast-tracks AI, data training

Queensland state government agencies Queensland Health and the National Injury Insurance Scheme (NIISQ) are using Databricks to enhance the public sector staff’s data, analytics and AI skills.

Databricks has launched a Data and AI Academy to train more than 100 Queensland Government staff members, helping them to become more proficient with innovative technology and in turn improve productivity and achieve better results. Upon course completion, participants will be able to obtain the necessary Databricks accreditations and certifications.

The strategic program will also allow them to then train their colleagues, empowering public sector staff to better leverage the suite of data and AI capabilities at their disposal through the Databricks Platform. The launch follows Databricks’ audit of the essential state government departments’ data strategies and need for refined implementation strategies.

“Our organisation’s digital transformation is well underway, yet a recent review of our data and AI capabilities revealed a skills gap when it came to deploying certain functionalities. Databricks’ leading Data and AI Academy offered us the opportunity to empower our staff and ensure skills uplift within our workforce, owing to the program’s inherent knowledge-sharing feature,” said Peter How, General Manager, Innovation & Delivery, National Injury Insurance Scheme, Queensland.

“The learnings from the program will inform and fuel our organisation’s capabilities for years to come, enabling our teams to co-design and provide improved services for our participants, external stakeholders and internal staff.”

The Data and AI Academy automates complex pre-processing, engineering and model-training processes, enabling users to easily build, train and deploy their own models through a low-code approach.

“Key to our department’s data strategy is the data and digital literacy of our staff, in a rapidly changing environment. The Data and AI Academy is just what we have been looking for as we face skills gaps across the department in leveraging data and AI processing capabilities and mounting implementations,” said Damon Atzeni, Director of Data and Analytics, Queensland Health.

“The Academy is our fast track to understanding the power of the solution we have and developing the skills to use it effectively. The program has enabled us to self-manage deployments in reforming our health data, resulting in greater administrative efficiency and patient care insights.”

“Between Australia’s tight talent market and the quick rise and rapid evolution of AI capabilities, many organisations understand they must double down on training efforts to run best-in-class operations,” said Adam Beavis, Vice President and General Manager for Databricks in ANZ.

“The program uniquely positions us to assist and guide institutions like the NIISQ and Queensland Health in upskilling staff to accelerate the development of different use cases and their implementation to further innovation,” Beavis said.

Databricks hopes to expand the program to additional departments throughout the Queensland Government.

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