Data Analyst

Jaclyn Lawton and her team help TVA’s power generating plants get ready for cold winter weather. They make checklists easier by turning paper forms into simple digital tools.

“It will ultimately minimize the time that it takes to do some of these certification procedures so employees can focus on what’s important, which is keeping the lights on,” Lawton said of her work.

Each year, there are thousands of tasks that need to be done at a power plant before winter. These tasks all make sure that the power plant is prepared to work when the temperature drops.

Before, people used paper and spreadsheets to track what needed to be done. Now, a computer screen shows what jobs are finished and what jobs still need work.

This is one way data analysts help TVA use information to make everyone’s job easier!

A Day in the Life

Andrew Welden, an operational data analyst specialist, said, “I try to take a bunch of raw, ugly numbers and paint a picture with it. Data is only meaningful if you use the numbers to tell a story.”

Data analysts and data scientists work with large amounts of information, called data. The type of data can vary from job to job and day to day. Data analysts often have to work to collect the data and then organize it so that people can use it.

Data analysts also make charts, maps, graphs and dashboards so that people can see the information more easily.

Becoming a Data Analyst

Data analysts need skills like:

• Problem-solving
• Using a computer
• Math
• Logical thinking
• Communication with others

Most data scientists or analysts go to college to study subjects like math, statistics, computer science, business or engineering.

TVA hires college students as interns. These students work with TVA teams on real-world projects and tasks.