Last year HDR UK formed a partnership with Cambridge Spark to offer an AI Apprenticeships Academy for Health programme that allows people to continue working as they study.

This brings immediate benefits to their employers as staff can apply the new skills they learn straight away. It’s attractive for employers because it’s paid for through the Apprenticeships Levy, which is money that many of them are already paying the government but which they get no advantage from unless the organise apprenticeships.

As the HDR UK apprentices show, they are an excellent way for ambitious employees to further increase their skills and enhance their career prospects.

Hollydawn Murray is HDR UK’s Research Manager, a job that involves both informing and supporting scientific research programmes that use health data at scale to generate public and patient benefit. This often involves evaluating impact by doing responsible research assessments of outputs such as papers, data and code.

She is taking an L4 Data Analyst Apprenticeship which she feels will help her work become more efficient and robust.

Hollydawn said:

“The new skills will fill a large gap in my CV. In the next three years, my goal is to work more on strategy than programmes themselves and this will require the data-driven insights and evidence-based decision making that I will gain from this apprenticeship.”

Stephanie Parrott, Digital Marketing and Analytics Manager, and Kate Sanders-Wilde Continuous Improvement and Business Systems Manager are both taking Level 3 Data Citizen Apprenticeships.

In Stephanie’s case her role is heavily focused on analytics and data, providing detailed reports and insights about HDR UK’s website and also about the Health Data Research Innovation Gateway.

Stephanie said:

“This apprenticeship will support my role at HDR UK giving me wider and more extensive knowledge of data and how it can be used to benefit the organisation and the work my peers are doing. It will also support my career in digital marketing and analytics and ambition to become a digital director with an advanced skillset in analytics, data and insights.”

Kate added:

“A reason I wanted to work at HDR UK comes from a strong understanding of the value and opportunities that are possible with the smart use of data. I’m very keen to build my confidence and technical skills to work with data effectively and to be able to apply my new knowledge to my job.”

As the national Institute for health data research HDR UK has the objective of creating a highly skilled and world-leading workforce. At the same time it is deeply committed to investing in developing the key skills and knowledge that its own people need to be successful in their roles.

Tammy Palmer, Head of People HDR UK, said:

“We have been thrilled to work with Cambridge Spark to provide staff members from different parts of the Institute with the chance to gain a formal qualification through the apprenticeship programme.

“All three are incredibly passionate and committed and it’s great to see their confidence grow as they learn. They are already bringing back new skills – applying those not only in their own work but sharing their new knowledge with other colleagues too.

“We know that there are still challenges in bringing women into STEM roles so it’s great to see three talented women being offered the apprenticeships. We look forward to seeing how they progress and we are already planning our next intake.”

About National Apprentice Week

  • The 15th annual National Apprenticeship Week 2022 will take place across England from 7 to 13 February 2022
  • It provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate apprenticeships and bring the whole apprenticeship community together
  • It will shine a light on the positive differences that apprenticeships can make to individuals, employers and to the wider economy.

To find out more about apprenticeships visit the apprenticeships website.