Apprenticeships: An Untapped Resource for Data Leaders
In the data industry, one thing stands out: practical experience reigns supreme. Our survey uncovered a significant trend among data leaders, with a majority favouring hands-on experience over formal degrees. More than half are more likely to hire individuals with practical expertise gained through apprenticeships, recognising the value of real-world training in the data field.
This rings true with David Reed, Chief Information Officer at Data IQ’s, experience:
“Skills can always be learned, experience can only ever be lived. Many employers are trying to get both, which can be unrealistic when asking for both sector knowledge and data skills. Data is a horizontal skillset which can transfer into almost anywhere, so hiring against the ability to build products, models or code is valuable even if it comes without a certificate.”
For Sharon Clews, Director, People and Talent Management at techUK, the picture is more nuanced than that:
“In terms of experience over qualification, it really depends on the role and crucially the team structure. Some roles will require more practical experience and experienced team members will be able to draw on their knowledge of what works, and can anticipate pitfalls. But it’s equally important to grow the next generation of talent and encourage fresh ideas. So, team structure is important where you have a blend of new ideas and established ways of doing things to get the best result.”
The Apprenticeship Levy also emerges as a powerful tool, yet its potential remains largely untapped. While 86% of data professionals are aware of its existence, only 65% have utilised it or plan to do so, leaving a substantial 35% untapped.
This is a missed opportunity for data leaders to harness apprenticeships in upskilling their teams, potentially hindering their ability to bridge the tech skills gap effectively.
Jake O’Gorman, Director of Data, Tech and AI strategy at Corndel, shares the sentiment that the Levy is underutilised:
“Unfortunately, many senior data professionals aren't aware that their organisation pays into a levy pot, so the amazing benefits that come from running these programmes is sometimes never realised. This is at the same time that they're searching for budget to upskill people on an evolving tech stack. It is within this context that apprenticeships can open many doors and make a real strategic difference.
Degree apprenticeships especially can offer three phenomenal advantages:
(1) Attract tech talent into your teams and provide them with a support network that reduces their chance of leaving.
(2) Create devastatingly effective problem solvers with a good breadth of knowledge, ready to be deployed to solve any problem, and
(3) you can create pipelines of talent flowing through your organisation without the usual restrictions on social mobility, such as ability to pay university fees.”
of data leaders view data apprenticeships as a key solution to the industry's talent shortage.
The sentiment toward data apprenticeships is overwhelmingly positive, with 31% of data leaders viewing them as a key solution to the industry's talent shortages. Notably, there's a widespread acknowledgment of their cost-effectiveness (46%) and their potential to foster diversity (39%) within teams. Despite these advantages, there's a lingering sense that apprenticeships are underutilised, with 35% perceiving them as such.
- Cost effectiveness: Almost half of data leaders agree that data apprenticeships are cost-effective, indicating a belief in the economic benefits of such programmes.
- Building a diverse team: 39% agreed that data apprenticeships are a good way to build a diverse team, suggesting recognition of the potential for apprenticeships to enhance diversity in the workforce.
- Quality: 38% of respondents believed that data apprenticeships are often of high quality, indicating confidence in the calibre of training provided through these programmes.
- A missed opportunity for tech leaders: Just over 1/3rd of data leaders believe that data apprenticeships are underutilised within the sector in general, suggesting a perception that there is untapped potential in leveraging apprenticeships for data-related roles.
- Solving the tech skills gap: One out of 3 data leaders agreed that data apprenticeships can help solve the tech skills gap within their organisation, highlighting the perceived role of apprenticeships in addressing skill shortages.
- Producing hard workers: 30% believed that data apprenticeships produce hard workers, indicating a positive view of the work ethic instilled through apprenticeship programmes.
- Need for less training: 28% agreed that data apprentices need less training than graduates because of their workplace experience, suggesting an acknowledgment of the practical skills gained during apprenticeships.
- Underutilisation within organisation: 27% agreed that data apprenticeships are underutilised within their organisation specifically, indicating potential for increased adoption of apprenticeship programmes internally.
of data leaders believe data apprenticeships are underutilised.
Degree apprenticeships also emerge as a favoured choice among data leaders, with 6 out of 10 reporting using them to upskill employees in the past year. This demonstrates a strong inclination toward these schemes for nurturing data talent.
However, barriers to adoption persist, with 35% of organisations yet to explore these avenues. In terms of the kinds of challenges that data leaders might face when implementing new apprenticeship programmes, Jake O’Gorman, Director of Data, Tech and AI strategy at Corndel, has advice to share:
“Apprenticeships are a strategic tool, yet often not used as such. High quality data programmes can make a big difference to a data culture, and much sooner than you might imagine.
To run a data programme, there are three usual stakeholders: (1) Someone from the business with people needing upskilling. They hold the use cases. (2) Someone from the people functions, HR or L&D familiar with the internal process for talent and upskilling. (3) Someone from the data function who is connected to the skills gaps around data and technology. A programme can be successful when any two of these three come together. If you're one of these, you know where to look.”
Our findings unveil a clear pathway forward for data leaders: by embracing apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships, organisations can unlock the full potential of their workforce and effectively address the data skills gap. With practical experience gaining precedence and apprenticeships offering a viable solution, it’s never been more urgent to start developing your team.
By investing in apprenticeships, organisations can cultivate a skilled workforce equipped to navigate the complexities of the data-driven world.