Certificate IV in Business Big Data

Big data describes datasets too large or too complex for traditional databases and software to process. The term covers structured data like transaction records as well as unstructured data like emails, images and social media posts. Analysts working with big data extract patterns and relationships from those datasets, then turn what they find into information an organisation can act on.

Big data refers to the datasets themselves, while data analytics refers to the process of examining them. Analysts apply statistical methods, software platforms and programming techniques to any dataset, large or small, and big data specialists apply those techniques to volumes that ordinary tools can’t handle. The Certificate IV in Business (Big Data) teaches you to test data samples, analyse them and present the results.

You’ll learn to test big data samples, analyse transactional and non-transactional data, apply insights to operational decisions and present findings to the teams who requested them. The program covers these areas over 12 modules:

• Assemble raw big data, process it and test whether it holds up before the organisation relies on it

• Identify trends and relationships within a dataset, then form recommendations from what you find

• Interpret analysis results and apply them to day-to-day operational decisions, using Power BI Desktop

• Present insights in a format the requesting team can read and act on

• Plan, draft and finalise complex documents for workplace audiences

• Use analysis, synthesis and evaluation methods at work, including as part of a remote team

The qualification prepares you for roles like big data analyst, business intelligence analyst, data and insights analyst, and marketing and performance analyst. Employers in government, finance, healthcare, retail and logistics all hire people to interpret their data. Our guide to becoming a data analyst covers this pathway in more detail and the skills employers look for when hiring.

No. The Certificate IV in Business (Big Data) has no formal entry requirements beyond being 18 or older. The program introduces basic programming for big data analysis as part of the course, so you pick it up while you study. Anyone who already writes code or works with data will simply move through those modules faster.

You need a working grasp of mathematical and statistical concepts, which the program teaches you. There are no maths prerequisites to join and your trainer will be available to help with anything that you might struggle with. You’ll practise completing complex calculations, recording numerical data and sequencing the stages of an analysis in logical order. Modern software handles the heavy calculation, so your job is more so understanding what the numbers mean and explaining it clearly than doing the calculations manually.

Yes. Swinburne Open Education delivers all 12 modules online and you’ll work through them at your own pace over 12 to 18 months. You complete every assessment online, including quizzes, projects, written reports, case studies, role plays and presentations. One unit requires access to a Windows computer for Power BI Desktop, so you might need to borrow one from a friend, family member or your workplace if you use a Mac or iPad.