Level 5 Data Engineer Apprenticeship Learners

Drive Real Impact in Your Role

Our students have delivered real business impact.

£1.4m revenue identified through data-driven insights

£120,000 saved by creating efficiencies

1,300 annual FTE time saved through pipeline automations

5 x faster ML model training achieved through automations

Lead Data-Driven Transformation

The UK’s Data & AI training specialists and winners of the CogX Best AI Course of 2023 Award, Cambridge Spark, have supported the career progression of 5,000+ Data professionals.

Our Data Engineering Apprenticeship empowers you to:

Understand the data engineering lifecycle and data modelling
Create and maintain data analytics pipelines to deliver valuable insights
Maximise the value of business data
Build the core technical and leadership skills that support the data-driven transformation of your organisation.

The Curriculum

Core Modules

Python and Pandas for Data Processing

Learn Python programming, data processing with Pandas, version control with Git, and software testing using unit tests and pytest.

Data Engineering Concepts

Discover data engineering, its role in organisations, and key concepts including the lifecycle, schemas, and data warehousing.

Databases, SQL and NoSQL

Master SQL from basics to advanced queries, explore NoSQL databases, and learn when to choose SQL or NoSQL solutions.

Data Product Management

Explore product management through data-driven processes, stakeholder management, road mapping, and building sustainable data products.

DevOps and Containerisation

Learn the software development lifecycle, CI/CD with Python and GitHub Actions, containerisation with Docker, Kubernetes, and IaC using Terraform.

Data Quality, Governance and Ethics

Learn core concepts in data quality, governance, security, privacy, ethics, sustainability, and compliance with data regulations.

Data Pipelines and Automation

Explore data pipelines with ETL, batch and stream processing, change and incident management, plus hands-on work with Spark, Luigi, and Kafka.

Data Product Implementation

Learn to design and deploy data products with scalability, efficiency, quality metrics, user needs, compliance, and sustainability in mind.

Advanced Data Engineering Techniques

Explore distributed file systems, root cause analysis, continuity planning, and get an overview of cloud data engineering with Azure, GCP, and AWS.

Emerging Trends and Technologies

Discover emerging trends in data engineering and learn how to stay ahead with new technologies beyond the programme.

Elective Module: Data Engineering with GCP

Ask the Cambridge Spark team for more information.

Elective Module: Data Engineering with Azure

Ask the Cambridge Spark team for more information.

Elective Module: Data Engineering with AWS

Ask the Cambridge Spark team for more information.

Eligibility

Suitability of Role

Looking to build skills in Python, SQL, data modelling, software testing, Git, CI/CD, and a DevOps mindset.
Pursuing a junior data engineering role.
Experience with at least one programming language and, ideally, production-level coding.
Works with databases and can identify opportunities to manage and process data using software.
This Apprenticeship utilises the L5 Data Engineer standard, with 3 elective pathways in GCP, Azure or AWS.

Eligibility for Funding

No prior equivalent data training or related experience.
Employed in England and resident in the UK or EEA for the last 3 years.
Option to opt in / out of Functional Skills (for 19+ years of age), depending on prior attainment of Level 2 / GCSE English and Maths (or equivalent) at grade C or above.
Can commit to the minimum planned weekly hours off the job learning - required for the duration of the programme.

What Makes Our Programme Special

We deliver all of our programmes online, helping our clients offer flexible and inclusive learning, open to all of their staff. We believe that the gold standard for online delivery is to offer a mix of experiential learning, coaching, technical mentorship and peer support.

Real-World Practice for Accelerated Impact

EDUKATE.AI provides a sandbox environment where learners can practice new skills on real assignments. This accelerates the impact that learners can make in their workplace, allowing them to immediately apply what they've learned.

EDUKATE.AI

Our online learning platform offers apprentices a seamless learning experience with in-browser access to their slides, workshop recordings, quizzes and practical assignments. Immediate feedback enables apprentices to gauge their progress effectively.

Expert Curriculum

Our curriculum develops the skills to thrive in a data-driven organisation. The L5 Data Engineer teaches the latest concepts and tools essential to build and manage critical data infrastructure.

Personalised Learner Support

We provide each learner with a dedicated mentor and learner success coach to support them on their technical and personal development. This personalised support structure helps learners to succeed and overcome obstacles they encounter.

Flexible Fully Online Learning

Our programme is fully online, providing maximum flexibility for learners and employers alike. This means that learners can access their content from anywhere, with no set up or installation of EDUKATE.AI required.

Data Community

Joining our programme means becoming part of a thriving community of thousands of data professionals. Learners have the opportunity to tap into this rich network of peers and alumni and benefit from the expertise and experience of others in the field.

What Will I Learn?

Your apprenticeship is designed by industry-leading Data Scientists and academics from the world’s best Universities. Course content and workshops are continuously updated to incorporate the very latest skills, techniques and emerging technologies, ideally positioning you for immediate impact at work.

The full Level 5 Data Engineer Apprenticeship includes the below core modules for everything you need to succeed. Your training can be tailored to suit your needs, with shorter flexible courses fitting around your schedule/workload, and skills gap analysis from our Data & AI experts to plan your career path.

Alongside your technical training, you’ll get the chance to join guest talks from leading technology providers like Google Cloud Platform and Databricks. Our recent Industry Insights sessions included:

Pete Williams - Director of Data at Penguin Random House UK
Lilian Pswarayi - Head of Commercial Analytics and Reporting at TUI
John Short - Head of Data at Lloyds of London
Liz Sapey - Acute and Respiratory Medicine Consultant at University of Birmingham
McKinley Hyden - Director of Data Value & Strategy at Financial Times.

Who's Benefitted From Our Data & AI Apprenticeships

Why we’re the education technology training partner of choice.

Case study

Building AI Capability in Media & Broadcasting with AI Apprenticeships

Case study

Data Analyst Apprentice Identifies £30k of Savings for GSK

Case study

Deep Learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP) Training for Deloitte

Graphic of hand cradling a heart - representing healthcare & the NHS

Case study

Developing Python Programming Skills Within the NHS

View all our case studies

FAQs

What delivery options do you offer?

We tailor our delivery to your workforce needs. This ranges from independent, immersive e-learning supported by EDUKATE.AI through to tailored bootcamps, to our structured apprenticeship programmes.

Are you able to tailor the programme to the organisation and sector?

Yes. We work with our clients to contextualise our programmes to their organisation and the sectors they operate in. We do this through bespoke assignments and guest lectures from industry experts. We also work with a range of partners to create bespoke programmes for sectors, such as health and journalism.

What is an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are a long-term training commitment which seek to support people entering 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.

What is the Apprenticeship Levy?

The UK government introduced the Apprenticeship Levy scheme 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 can only be used for training on approved apprenticeship schemes (such as the Level 5 Data Engineer Apprenticeship that we offer). Organisations must forfeit any levy funding left unspent for 24 months or more.

What if my organisation doesn't pay into the UK Apprenticeship Levy?

An organisation that doesn't pay into the levy can still qualify for government-funded apprenticeships for their staff. In fact, the UK government will sponsor 95% of the apprenticeship programme, leaving the organisation to invest the remaining 5%, provided that learners otherwise meet eligibility criteria.

What does "off-the-job training" mean?

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 minimum weekly off-the-job training provides learners with the time to focus and develop the required skills, knowledge and behaviours to complete the programme.

How much do managers need to be involved?

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 30 minutes every 3-4 months for a general catch up about the programme.

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Resources

The Data & AI Mastery Podcast

Data Engineer Apprenticeship (Level 5)

Drive Real Impact in Your Role

Lead Data-Driven Transformation

The Curriculum

Core Modules

Eligibility

Suitability of Role

Eligibility for Funding

What Makes Our Programme Special

Real-World Practice for Accelerated Impact

EDUKATE.AI

Expert Curriculum

Personalised Learner Support

Flexible Fully Online Learning

Data Community

A Real-World Learning Experience

What Will I Learn?

Enquire

Who's Benefitted From Our Data & AI Apprenticeships

Case study

Case study

Case study

Case study

FAQs