Employers

Staff across all functions of the university will be invited to enrol on the Data Academy, where they will study skills including analytics, AI and predictive modelling through apprenticeships.

The training will be delivered by Multiverse, a tech company focused on high-quality education and training through applied learning. Multiverse has trained more than 11,000 apprentices in areas such as software engineering and data analytics.

Two programmes will be offered on the academy. The 13-month Data Literacy programme covers the core technical skills required to transform data into insights, as well as softer skills like building narratives and presenting findings.

Meanwhile, the 15-month Data Fellowship will give apprentices the skills to clean, analyse and model data, and tell data stories to non-specialists.

The Data Academy was first launched last year, and ten members of staff are currently completing apprenticeships. Goldsmiths hopes that the additional investment in the academy will empower its staff to use data for better decision making and time savings; and ultimately making the student experience smoother.

David Minahan, Chief Information Officer at Goldsmiths, says ‘“Our five year digital transformation plan aims to develop a fully integrated data estate, enabling all of our students and staff to have personalised data dashboards and for Goldsmiths to benefit from data analytics and data driven decision making. The Goldsmiths Data Academy in partnership with Multiverse will provide the technical and data skills we need to achieve these aims”.

Matt Wedlake-Millecam is an accommodation administrator at Goldsmiths and applied to the Data Academy to find ways to streamline the accommodation services offered to students.

He said: “The most valuable aspect of the programme has actually been thinking about the way that I approach problems. The apprenticeship has definitely encouraged thinking proactively rather than reactively about the way that I do things.

“Thanks to the programme, I’m able to save hours of work by processing data automatically rather than manually. That time can be spent on ensuring student enquiries are answered quickly, therefore, improving the student experience."

Multiverse delivers world-class training in a wide range of qualifications in tech, data and engineering. Apprentices benefit from coaching with an industry expert and are supported by a thriving community with events, socials, mentoring and leadership programmes.

Mastercard is working with tech start-up Multiverse to deliver the courses, which offer advanced part-time training to help apprentices get better at using data, whether that’s by learning how to analyse data sets, or using data to make better decisions.

Half of the employees taking the apprenticeships are aged over 40, reflecting the increasing demand for life-long learning and mid-career training.

The initiative also supports diversity across the company and creates opportunities for those that are traditionally underrepresented. Of those that joined the first cohort, almost two thirds are women, bucking the trend of traditionally male-dominated tech and data roles.

Kelly Devine, Division President, UK and Ireland at Mastercard, said: “Digital and data analytics skills are so important for our business, whether we’re using AI to detect fraud, designing the next generation of payments, or using data to solve problems. People often have preconceptions of apprenticeships, but half of our apprentices are experienced professionals, which shows how important it is to offer training and new skills at any age or life stage.”

Marybeth Altwig, Product Management Specialist at Mastercard commented:"I've had a really positive experience on the data programme and the skills and knowledge gained have enabled me to progress my career at Mastercard. I was able to move into a new role in product management where I use my new skills on a daily basis. I've also become more productive and efficient and have been able to focus on my development."

Josh Berle, Account Management Director at Mastercard, enrolled in the first cohort and said: “The apprenticeship is giving me the opportunity to learn something new and gain really useful skills that I use every day. It’s making my job more interesting as I can use data tools more effectively and gain useful insights.

“Having time to devote to professional learning has enabled me to focus on myself in a way that I know will help me throughout my career. It's about taking some time to invest in yourself in order to be able to develop more effectively for yourself, your company and your customers."

Peppa Wise, Vice President, Go to Market at Multiverse, added: “Getting access to the best jobs of the future will depend on having the right skills, and we know that people want to access the training that will unlock those skills.

“What Mastercard is doing, through apprenticeships, is breaking down the barriers for its people to access that world-class training. Apprentices will learn in-demand skills, fully funded and while they work. And they’ll continually apply their learning, driving results for Mastercard in the process.”

Earlier this year, Mastercard was named a “Best Place to Work 2023” by Glassdoor in their Employees’ Choice Awards in the UK.

Focussing on current and new emerging digital technology, the Infrastructure Data Academy will provide apprenticeship programmes focussed on analytics, AI and predictive modelling.

The training will be delivered by Multiverse, a tech company focused on high-quality education and training through applied learning. Multiverse has trained more than 10,000 apprentices in areas such as software engineering and data analytics.

More than 75 employees from Morgan Sindall Infrastructure have been selected in the first cohort. They will have the option to enrol on one of three Multiverse programmes: the 13-month Data Literacy programme covers the core technical skills required to transform data into insights.

The 15-month Data Fellowship programme delivers best-in-class training in data analysis, data wrangling, and will give apprentices the skills to clean, analyse and model data, and tell data stories to non-specialists.

Meanwhile, the degree-level Advanced Data Fellowship will train apprentices in areas like statistical testing, data ethics, predictive modelling and data security. At the end of the programme, apprentices receive a BSc (Hons) Digital and Technology Solutions (Data Analytics).

With employees recognising the future landscape of data and the importance in their roles, more than 90% expressed an interest in improving their data skills, when surveyed.

Sarah Reid, Managing Director of the Morgan Sindall Infrastructure Highways business unit,
said: “Developing our people is at the core of our business. The Infrastructure Data Academy is part of a programme that empowers individuals to grow their skills and take the next steps on their career pathway. It also enables the business to become a digital-first organisation, creating efficiencies through new technology investments to further develop our culture around using data in everyday operations.”

Peppa Wise, VP of GTM at Multiverse, said: “Morgan Sindall Infrastructure has recognised that empowering their people with vital skills in data is good for both their individual careers, and for the business overall. And the best way to develop these skills is through applied learning, that happens on-the-job, the real-world.”

Multiverse delivers world-class training in a wide range of qualifications in tech, data and engineering. Apprentices benefit from coaching with an industry expert and are supported by a thriving community with events, socials, mentoring and leadership programmes.

Morgan Sindall Infrastructure delivers some of the UKs most complex and critical infrastructure across six core sectors of energy, water, nuclear, highways, rail and aviation for public and private customers. Working on projects and long-term frameworks, we believe in connecting people, places and communities through innovative and responsible infrastructure. Our people are our business. Through their expertise, we harness innovative ideas and approaches that enable us to safely and responsibly design and deliver resilient infrastructure upon which we all rely. Morgan Sindall Infrastructure is part of Morgan Sindall Group plc, a leading UK construction and regeneration group with revenue of over £3 billion. www.morgansindallinfrastructure.com

Royal Free, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), Croydon Health Services NHS Trust & Bart Health NHS Trust, some of the largest NHS organisations in the UK, will enrol more than 40 of their staff on data apprenticeships.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has committed to training 40 of its staff in data skills through apprenticeships.

The training will be delivered by Multiverse, a startup tech company focused on high-quality education and training through a unique professional apprenticeship model. Multiverse delivers apprenticeships in areas such as software engineering and data analytics.

The use of data has the potential to free up clinician’s time, improve patient outcomes and ultimately save lives. The BMA reports that 27% of doctors lose more than 4 hours a week because of inefficient hardware or systems. A shortage of skills in this area means many systems remain outdated - across the UK more than 100,000 data positions remain unfilled.

The launch of Data Academies across the NHS will improve efficiencies, create learning pathways for staff and, crucially, improve patient outcomes.

During the programmes, apprentices will learn through work - applying their skills in real-time to projects across the NHS.

Roxanne Moran, at National Institute of Health Care Excellence, said: “Our aim at NICE is to help practitioners and commissioners get the best care to patients fast. We have partnered with Multiverse to develop our staff with data skills, with a first cohort of 40 colleagues. Our increased capability in data skills will enable us to provide useful and useable advice for our users, and create a future-ready workforce, whilst providing a valuable personal development opportunity for colleagues.”

At Manchester Foundation Trust, 20 employees across Finance and Procurement will be enrolled on training programmes.

Edd Berry, Director of Finance Innovation at Manchester Foundation Trust, said: “In Finance, data is at the heart of much of what we do. Having the skills to validate, analyse, and forecast with data are essential. We want our staff to feel supported and confident in using the right tools to help them do their jobs as effectively as possible. We are really excited to be developing our staff with digital training from Multiverse”

Sean Hession, Deputy Director of Information Analytics at Royal Free London Trust, said: “Improving data literacy and upskilling our existing data teams is key to making the most of the information that we produce as a trust and is a key component of the Royal Free’s data strategy and trust strategy of becoming a data driven organisation. We recognise the potential that can be unlocked by giving analysts or those that work with data opportunities to develop their skills and understanding of data and how working with Multiverse can help us achieve that.”

The rollouts follow the success of the Data and Analytics Apprenticeship Pilot — launched by NHS England last year, in partnership with Multiverse. Multiverse also began a partnership with Leeds Health and Care Academy (LHCA), in a unique collaboration between health and care partners including Inspire North, Leeds County Council, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Leeds Student Medical Practice and many more — to improve data skills within the sector.

Multiverse has worked with more than 200 NHS employees, in a wide-ranging partnership that helps the vital organisation grow its in-house data, tech and engineering skills.

The identification and improvement of data skills involve a huge shift in the way employees work with data, across the entire organisation. Through collaborating with a strategic partner, organisations can begin to make changes at a large scale.

In August 2022, Jaguar Land Rover teamed up with Multiverse to take steps toward their data transformation.

The goal

Jaguar Land Rover had three main objectives for their upskilling efforts:

• Equipping employees with the knowledge and skills needed to identify opportunities to reduce costs and increase revenue.
• Building a data-driven culture that knows how to apply and leverage data in various scenarios – with the ultimate goal of increasing productivity and efficiency across the business.
• Increasing employee satisfaction and engagement by investing in skills development.

The solution

Jaguar Land Rover launched the Multiverse Data Fellowship programme to equip employees with the skills needed to become experts in data analysis, modelling and machine learning.

There are currently 600 Jaguar Land Rover employees on a Multiverse Data Fellowship programme across every department in the organisation, including Manufacturing, Product Engineering, Finance, Transformation, Supply Chain and many more.

"The Multiverse Data Fellowship programme has transformed our company's ability to harness the power of data, enabling us to make better decisions, innovate faster, and stay ahead of the competition. Our workforce is now equipped with the skills and knowledge to unlock valuable insights and drive real-world impact across our entire organisation.

"Multiverse has been an essential partner on this journey, and we look forward to continuing to work together to realise the full potential of our data-driven future." Martin Houghton, Chief Data Officer at Jaguar Land Rover

The results

Identifying opportunities to increase efficiency

After six months on the programme, Data Fellowship apprentice Kamil Poreda was able to identify production inefficiencies by creating a Tableau dashboard for Production Leads. These insights into the efficiency of the manufacturing lines have resulted in the production of 600 extra cars per week.

Increased productivity and efficiencies

Another apprentice, Huijie Ma, utilised Tableau to create dashboards reporting on the electrical diverts from manufacturing. This solution helped save Huijie and her team four hours a day, which equates to 85 hours saved per month.

The reports revealed the root causes of the divert, allowing ownership to be traced back to the specific functions, production lines and work groups, which created an opportunity for an efficient process of divert reduction.

Increased employee satisfaction

The Data Fellowship programme has also supported driving employee engagement - an incredible 100% of apprentices agree the apprenticeship aligns with their professional and personal goals.

“The apprenticeship has given me so much confidence. I am now far more structured in how I approach my work, taking the time to scope out projects with relevant stakeholders to understand their needs fully.” Kamil Poreda, Manufacturing, FACMON Controller at Jaguar Land Rover

The training will be delivered by EdTech start-up Multiverse on programmes such as the Business Transformation Fellowship and the Data Literacy apprenticeship.

The fully-funded apprenticeships will enable SMEs to address the number one barrier to growth and success: a shortage of digital skills.

77% of UK organisations are facing a shortage of digital skills, which is having a negative impact on growth, efficiency and competitiveness. Through this partnership, eligible SMEs can enrol their staff onto Multiverse programmes with the cost of training fully borne by Goldman Sachs.

The investment is part of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK initiative. Small businesses are integral to the UK economy - accounting for nearly 17 million jobs in the UK and more than half of private sector turnover. The 10KSB programme is designed to provide high-quality, practical education and business support to leaders of high-growth small businesses and social enterprises across the country.

To date, 88% of graduates of the programme expect to increase the number of people they employ in the next two years, compared with 63% of similar high-growth businesses.

Jeremy Duggan, President at Multiverse, said: “Having the right digital skills is essential for any business to scale. As the backbone of the UK economy, it's essential that small businesses are supported to develop these vital skills.

"That's why we're so pleased to partner with Goldman Sachs. Through this initiative, the company will help SMEs develop digital skills through apprenticeships - which are simply the best way to build both capabilities and diversity within an organisation.”

Charlotte Keenan, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs and Head of the Office of Corporate Engagement International said: “Retaining top talent and upskilling the workforce is a critical component for small business growth and something Goldman Sachs is incredibly committed to. We are proud to be partnering with Multiverse - these apprenticeships will enable employees at our 10,000 Small Businesses to progress and help drive business growth across the UK.”

The donation is made possible by the government’s Levy Transfer system. All companies with payroll over £3 million are required to pay 0.5% Apprenticeship Levy - which goes into a pot that can be spent on training costs, or transferred to other organisations such as small businesses.

Multiverse is a startup tech company building an outstanding alternative to university and corporate training through apprenticeships. Last year, the company announced the closing of a $130 million Series D funding round and has trained over 10,000 individuals in tech, leadership and digital skills to date.

In May 2022, the company announced that it would facilitate the transfer of £30m from large organisations to SMEs and charities.

The fully funded apprenticeship programmes have supported more than 30 different SMEs to upskill and future proof their workforce. The training has been delivered by tech start-up Multiverse.

77% of UK organisations are facing a shortage of digital skills, which stifles growth, efficiency and competitiveness. Through this partnership, eligible SMEs enrolled their staff onto Multiverse programmes with the cost of training fully borne by Capita.

It is part of the company’s business and impact goals, to equip Capita’s communities with the digital skills required for today’s world.

Amy Mulready, Global Head of Talent at Capita, said: “The need to equip communities to be able to engage effectively in an increasingly digital world has never been more important. Capita is delighted that in partnership with Multiverse we are able to utilize our apprenticeship levy to fund the training and development that enables this to happen as part of our commitment to being a responsible business.”

Capita and Multiverse began their partnership in December 2021. In that time, more than £1m of funding has been given to 32 different organisations, supporting the training and development of more than 70 individuals.

Learners come from a diversity of backgrounds, representing the communities they operate in. The initiative is in support of Capita’s diversity and inclusion commitments.

The donation is made possible by the government’s Levy Transfer system. All companies with payroll over £3 million are required to pay 0.5% Apprenticeship Levy - which goes into a pot that can be spent on training costs, or transferred to other organisations.

Yet more than £1 billion worth of levy goes unspent each year. That would be enough to create 115,540 apprenticeships✝: enough to almost halve the number of NEET 16-24 year olds.

Multiverse, a startup tech company, is building an outstanding alternative to university and corporate training through apprenticeships. The company now trains over 10,000 tech, leadership and digital apprentices and earlier this year announced that it would facilitate the transfer of £30m from large organisations to SMEs and charities.

Jeremy Duggan, president of Multiverse, said: "Small businesses are the backbone of the economy, and their ability to grow is contingent on having the right skills in place.

“But unlike cash or assets, skills cannot simply be handed over. Through the levy transfer system, Capita has supported the growth of these SMEs by 'donating' these vital digital skills through apprenticeships - which are simply the best way to build capabilities and diversity within an organisation.”

The new programme, which was launched as part of the Data Saves Lives strategy, has been praised by Ming Tang, Chief Data & Analytics Officer who expressed how “pivotal” it is for the Data and Analytics community.

31 NHS England employees enrolled on the 15-month apprenticeship programme to enhance their careers and capabilities through learning analytical and data science skills which can then be applied directly into their specific role with support from an expert coach.

NHS England also hired 8 new entry-level apprentices who are also undertaking the same course. The programme exists to create new routes into Data Analytics and Data Science roles within the NHS - widening participation and ensuring a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities the NHS serves.

Chief Data and Analytics Officer at NHS England, Ming Tang, said: “We’ve been on a huge journey during COVID, really demonstrating how data can save lives by using data more effectively to support decision making across the NHS.”

“The pilot objective of making sure our staff have the right skills has been achieved, with 100% of participants reporting that they now have the skills needed to excel in their role and are confident in sharing these learnings with colleagues.

“These skill sets go a long way in providing efficiencies to the NHS, with apprentices reporting a 24% efficiency increase when working with data after completing the programme. It has also enabled us to invest in our employees and their futures and is a fantastic opportunity for those looking to hone their data skills or reskill into a data role, as well as those at the very start of their career.”

Multiverse trains 170 NHS employees in data, project management and leadership programmes, in a wide-ranging partnership that helps the vital organisation grow its in-house skills.

Diversity is at the core of the programmes. 38% of apprentices are from an Asian background, while 50% have one or more ‘contextual flags’, indicating they may be a young carer, care leaver, a refugee, or meet an indicator of socioeconomic disadvantage.

Multiverse CEO Euan Blair added: “Our mission is to create a diverse group of future leaders. I could not be more proud of the fact that we’re working with the NHS to accomplish that - there is no group of people in the country that have shown more diligence, more care, and more resilience during what have been the hardest two years of many people’s lives.

“We design these programmes to be challenging and highly technical, so completing them successfully is clear evidence of excellence. I want to recognise the achievements of everyone who has been part of the pilot programme.”

How Christine used new skills predicted staff absences during COVID-19

Christine Wells, Analyst in the Chief Data & Analytics Directorate who was enrolled on the programme in December 2020 was able to use the new skills from the apprenticeship to predict staff absences during the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her line manager, Gavin Bell, said: “Staff absences have a direct impact on patient care, bed capacity, and further medical treatment provided to patients. In the early stages of the Omicron wave, it was vital to have estimates of staff absences ahead of time to assist with planning and staff development during the pandemic to ensure patient needs would be met.

“Christine developed a regression model to predict the number of staff absences ahead of time based on the number of patients admitted & diagnosed with COVID-19. This provides an early warning signal to anticipate staff absences due to the delayed presentation of COVID-19 once being exposed to the virus.”

Christine said: “Before joining the programme, I had no prior knowledge of Python but before long, I was able to develop and enhance my Python skills whilst also applying the content taught on the programme directly back into my role addressing business critical needs.”

Through its Reimagine strategy, Jaguar Land Rover is at the forefront of the rapidly changing automotive industry with a focus on electrification, digital services and data. Leadership in these areas is critical to Jaguar Land Rover delivering a modern luxury experience to its clients now and in the future.

The work with Multiverse is the first of many initiatives planned by the company to increase data capability and invest in employees’ skills to meet the needs of the business during its transformation and in the future.

The shortage of data skills is estimated to cost UK businesses £2 billion a year, with 1 in 10 jobs requiring data expertise and 100,000 data positions unfilled. Multiverse is looking to fill this skills gap by building an outstanding alternative to university and corporate training through apprenticeships. It now trains over 8,000 tech, leadership and digital apprentices.

Through the collaboration, a Data Fellowship course, delivered by Multiverse, will be offered to employees. The 15-month course covers topics including data modelling, analysis, Python, and Machine Learning, and will support thousands of Jaguar Land Rover's employees to make the transition from spreadsheets and desktop data work to working on the cloud. The first 400 employees enrolled this summer, with additional groups launching each quarter.

Clive Benford, Chief Data Officer, said: "The automotive industry is rapidly changing to become digital and electric. The management and utilisation of increasingly high volumes of data in this new era will be central to Jaguar Land Rover’s future. We need to create a data-first mindset that will support our growth, enhance the customer experience, and increase the productivity and expertise of our teams.

"The business’ own digital transformation is already underway with software-over-the-air, which demonstrates the power of effectively harnessing data. The primary goal of our partnership with Multiverse is to empower all our employees to utilise data, gain insights from it and develop valuable solutions."

Euan Blair, founder and CEO of Multiverse, said: "This ambitious and far-reaching programme is one of the largest data apprenticeship programmes ever launched in the UK, and will deliver world-class training in data to hundreds of people on an ongoing basis. Jaguar Land Rover's investment in apprenticeships shows the premium placed on data skills and the power of apprenticeships to deliver impactful new skills into a business through applied learning."

In partnership with Multiverse, Citi has employed 32 apprentices across a range of programmes including Software Engineering, Project Management and Data Fellowship.

Jacqui Lloyd, Senior Vice President and Apprenticeship Lead at Citi, said: “We are really excited about the opportunities that Apprenticeships present to people at all stages of their lives and careers. At Citi, we have taken a unique approach to this and created a number of programmes which not only present exciting routes into a career in financial services, but also gain us access to distinctly different and diverse pools of talent.

“Our partnership with Multiverse has enabled us to create brilliant entry-level routes, as well as opportunities for people who have been on a career break and are looking to learn new skills in addition to moving into the next exciting phase of their careers, potentially in a new sector altogether! Recruiting truly diverse talent, and bringing in people with different perspectives and a range of experiences is vital to the success of our business, but also enables us to develop future leaders and build critical skills for Citi.”

A route into banking for young people

Citi realised they could create an alternative route to the boardroom for young people from different backgrounds through apprenticeships. Since 2015, it’s also been one of Citi’s top strategic priorities to increase diversity within their workforce.

To build a truly diverse talent pipeline, Citi needed to access a broader talent pool of brilliant candidates. They partnered with Multiverse to identify these rising stars and equip them with the skills of the future, all paid for with the Apprenticeship Levy.

Multiverse’s outreach programmes attracted non-graduate candidates to apply to Citi’s apprenticeship roles, while the rigorous application process helped identify those with the highest potential.

The Multiverse approach to recruitment focuses on core competencies and assesses the candidate’s intent and drive to learn, regardless of whether they attended a high-performing school or not. Their Multiverse digital profile showcases whether they are an academic outperformer and if they experienced any barriers to learning.

The Multiverse team also invests time supporting candidates with polishing their interview skills, which are integral for successful outcomes.

Supporting established professionals on their Return to Work

Citi knows that hiring people from different backgrounds with diverse perspectives brings advantages to their teams.

With that in mind they launched a Return to Work Programme, a supportive hiring programme designed to help those that have taken a break transition into a career within financial services.

Thanks to a partnership with Multiverse, Citi is able to offer world-class training in key skills for the future like data analytics.

Embedding these digital skills into Citi’s workforce is crucial to their long-term strategy. The Multiverse programme enables the bank to acquire digital skills that are in extremely high demand and short in supply as well as democratising access to the banking industry.

"Not only am I back at work, I'm also learning something new"

Srilakshmi joined the Return to Work Programme after taking a three year break from work after having her second child. She was previously working in Supply Chain Management, but moved to Citi for a Project Management role while enrolled on the Data Fellowship apprenticeship.

After I had my second child, I decided to take a break to prioritise my family. After three years, it felt like the right time to get back to work - especially since everyone was working from home. That added flexibility made my decision easier.

I came across Citi’s Return to Work Programme with Multiverse, applied and got a role in the Project Management team. What stood out to me about the programme is that it's not only about getting back to work, it's also about upskilling. Not only am I back at work, I'm also learning something new through the Data Fellowship programme.

The first month was tough, but the support from the coach and the manager was key and they knew where I was coming from. The Multiverse coach, Josh, is extremely supportive and helpful - and my manager at Citi always made sure I had access to data to put into practice.

There’s also initiatives in place to make sure the return to work is as smooth as possible. For example, there’s a Buddy Scheme which I find really helpful.

The apprenticeship programme itself is very different from school. You're not just learning from a book, you're practically applying everything you study. Being in college involves a lot of theoretical concepts and repeating them in exams. But the best part about the apprenticeship is taking those concepts and applying them to your work.

What’s great about the Return to Work Programme is that it’s not just a bridge back into work, it’s also an opportunity to elevate your skills.

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Sakshi Garg previously worked as a developer, but took a six-year career break to start a family. Now, she is in a data role enrolled on the 18-month Multiverse Data Fellowship.

I took a career break from my work as a developer to start a family. After six years, I decided I was ready to go back to work. I was exploring my options but I thought my best bet would be to stick to what I knew and go for a role in IT. Because of the career break I found it difficult to find an opportunity so I upskilled myself with the latest technologies.

I applied for the role with the Citi Return to Work Programme - despite never having worked in banking before. The application process was really straightforward, and what was particularly great was that they do not look at your career break as a flaw rather appreciate your past experience and skills along with how flexible you are with learning and adapting.

Through the Return to Work Programme, I secured a really good role in the Production Management and Service delivery team. This role is different from my previous one in terms of responsibilities so I always get the opportunity to learn more.

As part of the programme, I’m enrolled on the Data Fellowship. Coming back from a big career break, you sometimes feel that you might be rusty when it comes to skills. The fellowship plays a really important role in closing that gap, and making sure you are well supported through the transition. I get to revisit things which I used in previous roles but needed refreshing on. But on top of that, you learn new things from scratch which are completely new to me.

Everything I study is directly linked to my work.

My coach is really helpful. In our sessions and our 1-1s, he’s always on hand to support. He’s always happy to explain things and support me with the course content, as well as projects in my work.

All in all, it’s a fabulous programme that provides an excellent opportunity for everyone who has been out of work for two years or more, regardless of the reason. Some of the people in my cohort had a career break of around 10 years. I’m comfortable here - every day I’m thankful to Citi for this opportunity.