BCSTAT Data Fellowship Program

2023 NACo Achievement Award Winner

Baltimore County, Md., MD

Image of AchAwards_text.png

About the Program

Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

Baltimore County Government intentionally fosters a data-driven culture to create accountability, improve performance, ensure data quality and increase government transparency. As the County’s performance management program, BCSTAT’s mission is to incorporate data into decision-making and apply data-driven analysis to operations across the County. BCSTAT spearheads this effort through Stat review sessions, tool and resource development, and departmental support among many other activities. The BCSTAT Data Fellowship Program, developed in 2021, is a recent initiative that further enhances Baltimore County’s data-driven culture by expanding the data skills and capacity within County departments. BCSTAT hires individuals seeking data roles, provides a one-year learning experience where they can practice and strengthen their data skills while becoming familiar with County operations. Those fellows are then given the opportunity to seek permanent employment with County government at the conclusion of their fellowship. By recruiting and training data fellows, the Fellowship program strengthens data expertise across County departments while offering a strong, effective workforce development program that has expanded the pool of qualified, data-driven professionals within Baltimore County’s workforce.