In this study, we investigated the value of the data mining tool RapidMiner for teaching data analytics to human resource (HR) students. In a way, the idea for another analysis tool contradicts the demand for demonstrable spreadsheet skills in business professions. Fluency in MS Excel is seen as a necessary skill for data analysis in business; however, more advanced analysis like predictive analytics (i.e., predicting employee churn, salary levels, survey text analysis, etc.) leaves a gap in MS Excel's skill set. Introducing HR students to RapidMiner fills that gap. We wanted to provide students with a deeper learning experience beyond the spreadsheet to give them a competitive advantage in the job market. This study explained how faculty could use RapidMiner to teach data analytics to HR students. Based on their experience, students completed a survey that analyzed the impact of using RapidMiner on their engagement, learning satisfaction and understanding of Systems Thinking. We adapted active learning strategies and an HR data set from IBM to reduce the gap between business education and practice. We provided practical recommendations on using RapidMiner for teaching Data Analytics and as a method to develop fundamentals of systems thinking for business students. Our findings showed that using RapidMiner tool resulted in high student engagement, satisfaction, confidence and helped introduce the Systems Thinking approach.