Success for first cohort of Data Analyst Apprentices

28 Nov 2018 News Learners

The first cohort of ALS Data Analyst Apprentices were celebrated last week with a graduation ceremony at Office for National Statistics (ONS). A first for the company and for the public sector in Wales.

Held at the ONS headquarters in Newport, the ceremony saw eight Data Analyst Apprentices graduate in the attendance of Eluned Morgan AM, Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning, and UK National Statistician John Pullinger.

As a result of their qualifications, all eight Apprentices in the cohort have successfully gained permanent positions within the Civil Service and have already achieved promotions in their roles.

The Data Analytics Level 4 Apprenticeship is a flagship programme, developed with ALS Training to deliver a qualification fit for the analyst world, and is a key element of ONS’s plan to shape how it recruits new talent and develops a high performing workforce.

Thirty-five year-old Gareth Jones from Newport is one of the graduates. After completing his A-levels, he started a degree in Financial Management but found he was not suited to the university style of learning. He quit and joined the workforce, working as a manager in a national law firm. However, with a love of working with data, he was delighted to take up the two-year Apprenticeship opportunity with ONS and ALS Training.

Gareth said: “When the Data Analytics Apprenticeship at ONS came up, I saw this as a real chance to change the direction of my career towards the type of work I enjoy and have a drive and passion to learn more in. I am delighted to graduate today and look forward to continuing my work at ONS as part of the Statistical Design and Research Division.”

Apprenticeships are a priority for the ONS, with 55 Apprentices starting work with them at their Newport headquarters in the past year. They were also named as finalists at the Apprenticeship Awards Cymru 2018 in recognition of their excellent Apprenticeship programme at the new Data Science Campus in Newport.

UK National Statistician John Pullinger said: “Apprenticeships provide a real opportunity to shape how we hire, develop and retain our high-performing people. This graduation, the first Data Analyst Apprentices to graduate in Wales, is a fantastic way to celebrate the success of these pioneering apprenticeships at ONS, and I look forward to many more.”

Helena Williams, director at ALS Training said, “ONS is an exemplar for organisational collaboration on Apprenticeship Programmes and it is a pleasure to be working with them. By developing their workforce with pioneering qualifications like the Data Analytics Apprenticeships, they are equipping their staff with key skills and supporting their personal and professional development.”

Interested in becoming an Apprentice and further your career? You’re in the right place! With a wide variety of routes to choose from, what are you waiting for? Find out more here.

 

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