A statistical assistant is a person who puts together information obtained during a research endeavor involving statistics — the practice of collecting large amounts of numerical data. Assistants in this field should enjoy working with numbers and deciphering trends to help an organization make important business decisions or fulfill fact-finding studies. These individuals typically must complete about two years of college and gain practical experience with performing estimations to succeed in this industry.
If you want to become a statistical assistant, consider completing a four-year college degree in this field. Some employers, however, will hire people who have completed two-year associate degrees in an area such statistics or math. Still other companies will accept a job applicant who has a high school diploma or the equivalent certification, as long as he or she shows proof of having excelled in business software, bookkeeping and business mathematics classes. On the other hand, other businesses prefer statistical assistants who have master’s degrees in the industry.
While in a statistical assistant training program, students learn how to handle scheduling duties and perform computations that are used in business, such as calculating shipping rates for air carriers or sales results for a company. Pupils additionally review billing and shipping procedures and learn the proper way to receive and record a company’s current supply count. Someone who wants to become a statistical assistant for a home insurance, life insurance or vehicle insurance company also learns the proper way to estimate related client risks.
To become a statistical assistant, you should focus on honing your analytical and interpreting skills and strive to be detail-oriented and accurate. Aspiring statistical assistants also must practice keeping databases current and helping to publish numerical data. You should have solid verbal communication and interpersonal skills for interviewing subjects of studies as well as working with clients and fellow employees. In addition, a person who is striving to become a statistical assistant must possess strong organizational skills. Good computer software application skills additionally are critical for a statistical assistant, who often is responsible for creating graphs and charts detailing statistical research results.
An aspiring statistical assistant can pursue hands-on training in this field by looking for internships. The career services department of your training institution should help you locate local field experience opportunities. Internships are available with government agencies as well as with private market research companies, retail businesses and manufacturing companies. Some companies train individuals who want to become statistical assistants on the job if they lack strong experience with using industry tools such as spreadsheets or calculators.