Introducing the Skills Bootcamp in essential data skills

Basic skills around collecting, sorting and analysing data have never been in greater demand - the average salary for a data role is £36,000 to £56,000. And whether you're just starting your career, or you're hoping to change careers, learning essential data skills can be the key to unlocking new and rewarding career opportunities.

Partnering with the Department for Education, Cambridge Spark are offering job seekers a 10-week, fully government-funded, Skills Bootcamp – part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee, helping everyone gain skills for life.

Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and an offer of an interview with an employer upon completion. Learners may also be eligible for job placement in an entry-level data role upon successfully completing the bootcamp, such as data administrator or data analyst.

Application deadlines:
Wednesday 4th October for Cohort 1
Tuesday 31st October for Cohort 2

You might be a good fit for this Skills Bootcamp if you...

  • Are based in England
  • Are 19 years or older
  • Have the right to live and work in the UK
  • Have been living in the UK for at least 3 years
  • Want to secure an entry-level data job after the Bootcamp
  • Are comfortable with the basics of using spreadsheets

What you'll learn in this Skills Bootcamp

  • MS Excel for Data Analysis
  • Introduction to Coding with Python and SQL
  • Data Preparation, Quality & Validation
  • Data Sourcing & Integration
  • Charts & Visualisations
  • Dashboarding Tools
  • Storytelling & Presenting with Data
  • The Value of Data & Essential Digital Tools

How is this Skills Bootcamp delivered?

We deliver our full curriculum online to give you the flexibility to learn from anywhere and at your own pace. A mix of experiential learning, coaching, technical mentorship and peer support help you gain confidence in data skills and quickly apply them in practice.

You benefit from the following to aid you in your learning journey:

  • Expert lectures and instruction from world-class faculty
  • Immediate feedback on exercises through our EDUKATE.AI data learning platform
  • Engagement and support from peers through our online Knowledge Base forum

Programme schedule

The programme will be offered in two cohorts with two different start times. The schedule (subject to minor changes) for each of the 10 weeks for both cohorts will follow the below structure with approximately 15-17 hours of study time per week. Your bootcamp includes 10 hours of live learning per week, and these sessions must be attended in order for your course to continue to be government funded.

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Cohort 1:

Day 1 of this cohort on the programme will be Tuesday 10th of October at 6:00pm.

Outside the schedule above, there will also be an induction session held on Friday 6th of October at 4:30pm, which is designed to set you up for success on the programme.

Cohort 2:

Day 1 of this cohort on the programme will be Tuesday 7th of November at 6:00pm.

Outside the schedule above, there will also be an induction session held on Thursday 2nd of November at 4:30pm designed to set you up for success on the programme.

How to apply

The application process takes about 30-40 min and includes the following steps:

1. Complete the application form on the right with your chosen cohort selected. You'll receive an email response with next steps within 5-10 min.

2. Complete the questionnaire form sent to you by email. If you meet the basic eligibility criteria for the programme, you'll receive an email with the questionnaire. This form includes 40-50 questions relating to personal information required for funding by the Department for Education, as well as information to help us assess your fit for this programme.

3. Confirm your place on the Bootcamp. If accepted on the programme, you'll receive an email containing a link to confirm your intent to join and complete the programme.

"I did the bootcamp mainly to get some practical, hands-on experience... I wanted to find a way to actively work on problems and apply some of the understanding to real-world problems and data. I feel that was the best part about it. I could apply all the theory I've learned and also get hands-on, one-to-one support.”
 

Christopher Brown, Skills Bootcamp Graduate

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