Hackney Council Data and AI Academy
Accelerating digital transformation for employers in Hackney
Introducing the Data & AI Academy
As a part of ongoing efforts to address the growing demand for data and AI professionals, Hackney Council has launched a Data and AI Academy, aimed at employers looking to equip their staff with the relevant skills to increase productivity, boost innovation, and accelerate digital transformation.
As businesses increasingly rely on data-driven insights to make decisions, there is a critical need for individuals with the right skills to work with data and AI technologies. Through the launch of this new initiative, in partnership with Cambridge Spark, Hackney Council is offering non levy paying organisations the opportunity to access cutting-edge programmes, with expert guidance and mentorship from industry professionals.
Supporting Local Business
If you are a Hackney based company that's interested in upskilling your staff in data, but don't currently pay towards the apprenticeship levy, eligible employers have the opportunity to place their staff on Data Analyst or AI apprenticeships, with the cost funded by the Apprenticeship Levy transferred from Hackney Council.
Enrolment deadline: February 2025
Programme duration:15 months
Ideal for: Professionals with a background in data or programming (Python) as well as linear algebra and statistics, looking to develop predictive models.
The skills required to deliver end-to-end data science and AI projects are complex and constantly evolving. Data science roles are now becoming more specialist, as are the tool kits used, with more demand for advanced machine learning and AI skills. The Level 7 Data Science and AI Apprenticeship helps organisations become more competitive in their field and stay ahead of changes in data science.
Programme duration: 14 month
Ideal for: Professionals reskilling into data engineering roles to create and maintain data analytics pipelines. Help your organisation fully utilise data by upskilling and reskilling staff in key data infrastructure. Launched in November 2022, the Data Engineer Apprenticeship uses the UK's Level 4 Data Analyst standard and teaches learners skills in Python, SQL, data modelling approaches, software testing, git, CI/CD and DevOps mindset.
Programme duration: 14 months
Ideal for: Analysts and intermediate-to-advanced users of spreadsheets in need of more efficient and powerful tools for working with data on a regular basis.
Build your organisation’s data analytics and Python capabilities at scale with our Level 4 Data Analyst Apprenticeship. Equip your employees with the technical skill set to extract, manipulate and visualise data, empowering them to answer complex questions and drive strategic value.
Programme duration: 14 months
Ideal for: Employees able to analyse workflows and working practices or business or user needs with the aim of introducing digital and data-driven products, approaches or tools.
Cambridge Spark's Level 4 Digital Business Analyst Apprenticeship equips you with the skills needed to successfully drive digital solutions in your organisation. This programme uses the UK's Level 4 Business Analyst apprenticeship standard and focuses not only on analysis and visualisation, but also on digital leadership, change management and more.
Programme duration: 13 months
Ideal for: Professionals looking for an in-depth course to improve their confidence, knowledge & skills in leveraging data to make better, faster more informed decisions.
A data-driven organisation requires a minimum level of data skills across the workforce. As organisations increase the number of technical teams working in Python programming, other teams need to be data literate to maximise working effectively with technical teams. The Level 3 Data Citizen Apprenticeship provides the right data literacy training for learners to embed data in their daily work to make data-led decisions and maximise new tools and technologies in data and artificial intelligence (AI).
FAQs
Apprenticeships are a long-term training commitment which seek to support people into the workforce and upskill existing UK-based employees within an organisation, enabling employers to foster a workforce consisting of highly-skilled and highly-engaged talent.
Our apprenticeships include aa minimum of 6 hours per week off-the-job training, enabling a blended approach between theory and practical learning.
The UK government’s Apprenticeship Levy scheme came into effect in April 2017 as a way to drive investment in strengthening the country’s skills base.
All organisations with annual staff costs of over £3m have to pay 0.5% of their salary bill into a ring-fenced apprenticeship levy pot. The money is collected monthly via PAYE and must be spent within 24 months and used for training on approved apprenticeship schemes.
Off-the-job training is defined as learning undertaken outside of the day-to-day work duties and during the apprentice’s normal working hours.
Our off-the-job training is delivered on a flexible basis and can be carried out at the apprentice’s place of work or home.
The 6 hours per week, minimum, off-the-job training provides learners with the time to focus and develop the required skills, knowledge and behaviours to complete the programme and reach occupational competence.
Managers will need to ensure apprentices achieve their planned off-the-job training hours and work on their project portfolio.
We also encourage managers to have regular one-to-one meetings with apprentices to catch up on how they are progressing and to join the apprentice and their coach for thirty minutes every 3-4 months for a general catch up about the programme.
For companies that are looking to take on an apprentice, but fall under the levy threshold (annual staff costs under £3m), a levy paying employer can transfer up to 25% of their unused levy to a different employer. Each employer can have their own conditions to a levy transfer, such as location, type of business etc.