Demographic forecasting with POPGROUP course (the next course is 17-18 May 2012. In house training or regional training is also possible: contact popgroup@edgeanalytics.co.uk)
POPGROUP practicals for self-training
To make the most of POPGROUP demographic software, most organisations suit their needs and resources with a mix of self-reliance, attending courses and buying in services. Using POPGROUP involves demographic understanding and the collation of appropriate data, as well as skills in the software itself. The table below describes how each of these can be gained either by relying on the user’s own resources, or through courses and services.
Self-reliant path |
Courses and services |
|
| Demographic understanding: an appreciation of population statistics and demographic concepts | Field, B. and MacGregor, B. (1987) Forecasting Techniques for Urban and Regional Planning, Hutchinson, London. Rowland, D. (2003) Demographic methods and concepts, OUP, Oxford. Local Authority Research and Intelligence Authority (1998) Making local population statistics: a practitioner’s guide. |
CCSR courses. Understanding demographic concepts. Practical estimating and forecasting. |
| Data environment: collating appropriate data, and using them to fill and to update POPGROUP Excel files | Datasets from statistical agencies, usually annual. | POPGROUP services for districts, smaller areas and ethnic groups. |
| Software skills: knowledge of POPGROUP’s functions, how to use them to develop robust estimates and forecasts, and how to report from the results files. | Reference manuals and user guides Self-training POPGROUP course |
CCSR course Demographic forecasting with POPGROUP. |