So, you want to upskill in Data Science. Great! The question is, what’s the best way to go about doing that?
Whether you’re completely new to the field, looking to advance and deepen your knowledge or you’re ready to make a career pivot into data science - there are so many options it can be difficult to determine which is the best route for you. In this article, we’ll break down the specifics of pursuing the study of data analytics and data science via government-funded apprenticeships.
First things first...
In simple terms, an apprenticeship is a paid job where the employee learns and gains valuable experience. Alongside regular job duties, an apprentice will spend at least 6 hours of their working week completing classroom-based learning with a college, university or training provider (such as ourselves here at Cambridge Spark), leading to a nationally recognised qualification.
There’s an outdated perception that apprenticeships are exclusively for school-leavers and are focused in trades-based industries. Happily, this is not the case. Apprenticeships have moved on from what they used to be and are now open to current as well as new employees of any age, and even those with previous qualifications.
They can be for people early in their careers as well as experienced talent looking to advance their skill set or change careers, which is increasingly necessary as the world of work changes.
What’s more, the costs associated with apprenticeships in England are funded by the government’s Apprenticeship Levy scheme.
The UK government introduced the Apprenticeship Levy in April 2017 as a way to drive investment in strengthening the country’s skills base. All organisations with staff costs over £3 million must pay 0.5% of their salary bill into a ring-fenced Apprenticeship Levy pot. The money is collected monthly by PAYE, but can be clawed back within 24 months and used for training on approved apprenticeship schemes.
The great news? This means there is no cost for levy-paying employers to train apprentices. For companies who don’t pay the levy, there is an alternative way of accessing apprenticeships, called co-investment. These companies are liable for just 5% of the cost of an apprenticeship, which is paid directly to the training provider. The UK government then pays the remaining 95% bulk of the cost.
80% of companies who invest in apprenticeships for their existing talent report a significant increase in employee retention.”
Considering three different types of learners seeking to upskill in data science, the benefits of apprenticeships over traditional educational routes are numerous:
For school leavers wanting to pursue a career in Data Analytics or Data Science (in either analytics or business intelligence), apprenticeships offer a valuable and cost-friendly alternative to traditional university education. Apprentices get practical experience from day one.
Apprenticeships offer graduates an opportunity to apply and deepen their existing knowledge and skills whilst in full-time employment and to work in specialist teams within organisations.
Apprenticeships offer experienced professionals an opportunity to advance their skill set or retrain as a technical specialist working and leading on big data business solutions whilst in full-time employment.
Apprenticeships have moved on from what they used to be and are an exciting option for both apprentice and employer. You can now employ apprentices at all different levels, from school leavers to people that want to further their careers or change career direction completely. An apprentice can be aged 16 or 100 plus!”
Data apprenticeships also offer a lot of benefits to the organisations that invest in them:
At Cambridge Spark, we offer a range of apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships providing new and exciting opportunities for employees to upskill into new technical roles, including Data Analyst, Data Scientist and more.
Government-funded data apprenticeships offer a fast-track option for employees looking to upskill in data science without having to commit to full time study at high cost. Equally, apprenticeships provide employers with an exciting opportunity to build their internal data science and AI capabilities at scale.
If you would like to find out more about our apprenticeship programmes and learning pathways designed to tackle the nationwide shortage of Data Analysts, Data Scientists and Machine Learning Engineers, please get in touch below: