Success can be measured in many different ways. For LSBE's Retail Marketing Analytics Program (ReMAP), which launched in August 2011 and is focused on providing students with the knowledge and skills to calculate and analyze all sorts of measurements, success can be calculated as 100% job placement for the graduates from the first cohort.
The 15 students, who graduated from the program in December 2012 and May 2013 with a major in marketing analytics, attained employment with a wide variety of organizations, both local and across the country.
Sara Pitterle, ReMAP Director, is particularly happy with this breadth of organizations. "The 100% placement across so many different types of organizations gives credence to our statement that ReMAP students can find careers in the industries they are passionate about," she said. "There are considerable opportunities in this field and the opportunities are only expanding as technology evolves."
Graduates enter the work world equipped with the knowledge and skills to analyze an organization's data and glean the important insights necessary to make strategic business decisions. "In an incredibly competitive business climate, organizations large and small are seeking individuals who are able to effectively turn data into a meaningful and profitable pathway," said Pitterle.
The program, which accepts approximately 15-20 students each year, utilizes a supporting network of retail and consumer product companies as well as the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) to ensure its curriculum is appropriate. Large encrypted datasets from these companies and the DMA afford the students real world, relatively current, data to use as learning tools. Moreover, some of these companies contribute substantial funding and additional resources, all of which the ReMAP program relies heavily upon.
"We are so thankful for the generosity of our partnering companies, like maurices," said Pitterle. "Some have been with us when we started in 2011, such as DemandTec, which is now an IBM company. Our current network of partnering businesses is continually growing."
Members of the inaugural class will continue to be associated with the program as alumni and assist with the future of the program. "We have an Industry Advisory Committee that has representatives across a diverse business community, and we hope to have an alumnus be a participant," said Pitterle. "The committee discusses curriculum ideas and industry trends that help to keep the classes fresh and current."
The second cohort of ReMAP students are slated to graduate in December and May. All of these students have completed paid internships in various analytic roles during the summer of 2013 and all hope to have full-time employment organized prior to graduation. More information about the Retail Marketing Analytics Program can be found on the LSBE website.
Businesses and organizations where the first cohort of ReMAP graduates are employed are
Kohl's: 3 grads - All Merchandise Analysts – Milwaukee WI
Schwan's: 2 grads - Data Analyst Home Delivery Division, Promotions Analyst – Marshall, MN Buffalo, MN
Nielsen: 2 grads - Mars Account Team, Supervalu Account Team – Hoboken, NJ and Twin Cities
Hormel: 1 grad - Sales Analyst - Kansas City
Honda America: 1 grad - Sales Analyst - Los Angeles
Christopher & Banks: 1 grad - E Commerce Analytic Team – Twin Cities
Boom Lab: 1 grad – Analyst –Twin Cities
Olson Advertising: 1 grad – Strategic Brand Analyst, Twin Cities
maurices: 1 grad - Enterprise Analytic Team – Duluth
IRI Worldwide:1 grad - Hormel Account Team – Austin, MN
Demco:1 grad – Circulation Planner, Madison, WI