Data
Changes
Everything
On 21 March 2017, Ayrshire College held its first ever digital conference, Data Changes Everything, which was an official
fringe event of DataFest17.
DataFest17 was organised by The Data Lab and was a celebration of innovation that showcased Scotland’s data science
capabilities and attracted international experts in data science to Scotland.
The conference was organised to help realise the potential of digital in Ayrshire and the west of Scotland. Central to
achieving this are our computing students who are Ayrshire’s future talent. Some of them had the opportunity to network
with employers at the conference to understand the digital needs of their businesses.
Digital is disrupting how we do business.
To be successful in this information age we need to embrace the changes arising from developments in digital technology
and our conference was a timely opportunity to consider how to ensure these changes convert into opportunities.
Data Changes Everything offered a range of perspectives on data innovation and best practice.
Leading data experts from health, tourism, engineering, retail and computing shared their vision and insights with 150
delegates. The presentations were followed by a digital exhibition showcasing the latest innovations in technology, a
CoderDojo Ayrshire session offering an introduction to coding, and data doctor clinics for 1-1 consultancy.
The keynote speaker at our Data Changes Everything conference was Gillian Docherty, Chief Executive of The Data Lab.
Gillian said: “We are at the beginning of the data revolution. Data innovation is disrupting all areas of our lives from
business to public services and beyond.
“Scotland is a world leader in data science. The potential benefit of data to Scotland is colossal and by awakening
business and the public to the possibilities of data, we can create significant social and economic impact.
“I was delighted that there were Ayrshire College students at the conference. We need to create the skills and talents of
young people in Scotland so that we can fill the thousands of data literate jobs that will be created.
“It was also an opportunity to talk to employers so they can better understand the challenges they are facing.”