Essex County Council (ECC) has launched training for 40 of its staff through a new Data Academy.
The organisation’s goal is to strengthen its data capabilities, while boosting productivity and data literacy across teams.
Teaching is being delivered by Multiverse. According to Multiverse’s Skills Intelligence Report, local government and councils are notably impacted by a lack of data skills, with 26 percent of employees’ time working with data spent unproductively.
Programmes include ‘Data Insights for Business Decisions’, which equips commissioners working within ECC with the technical skills and knowledge to better navigate the data landscape.
The 13-month ‘Data Fellowship’, a Level 4 apprenticeship, will upskill data professionals, while the degree-level ‘Advanced Data Fellowship’ will give graduates the tools to build data analytics capabilities within the organisation and use data to support decision-making.
Staff enrolled in the Academy also have the opportunity to complete a 13-month ‘Business Transformation Fellowship’, which covers key competencies that are most relevant to doing business in the digital age, including defining business objectives, exploring opportunities for digital innovation and adopting agile ways of working.
The Data Academy is funded by the Apprenticeship Levy, a UK tax on employers that is used to fund apprenticeship training.
In October, Thurrock Council launched training for 30 of its staff through a Data Academy, as part of its plans to modernise processes and provide better services for residents, while helping deliver savings.
Understanding the purpose and potential of data
Nicola Mallett, head of profession analytics and data science at Essex County Council said: “Essex County Council provides a diverse learning programme designed to help our colleagues confidently engage with data, fostering evidence-based decision-making at every level. By participating in the Data Academy through the Apprenticeship Levy, we are further investing in our workforce, ensuring they understand the purpose and potential of data. This initiative encourages responsible data use, strengthens robust data processes, and promotes collaboration with our partners. Ultimately, it enables us to leverage data insights to enhance social good and improve outcomes for communities across Essex.”
“Essex County Council will be on the front foot in data-led decision making and process modernisation thanks to the skills they will gain on these apprenticeships,” added Gary Eimerman, chief learning officer at Multiverse. “All the while, by developing the skills of its people the Council will enhance their careers and access to the best opportunities.”
Elsewhere, Multiverse has announced that entrepreneur and pioneer of Britain’s technology sector, Baroness Martha Lane-Fox, has joined its board of directors. The company has also appointed MongoDB exec Jillian Gillespie as chief financial officer.
