My name is Evie and I have been a Data Science Degree Apprentice at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) since March 2019. I spend one day a week participating in workshops and lectures from Cardiff Metropolitan University studying for a BSc in Applied Data Science and the rest of the week working on projects in the ONS. I am currently in my second year of the university programme.
I find the modules at Cardiff Met really interesting and engaging, covering a range of different topics including Object Orientated Programming, Data Visualisation and Mathematics for Computing. In the first year, my favourite assignment was learning how to effectively communicate data using different visualisation techniques. We had to identify a research question, find data sources to analyse to answer that question and present our work back to our peers. I was able to use a combination of practical skills developed in the workplace and technical skills taught through the university to research traffic pollution in Manchester. Building up our knowledge of different data science techniques throughout the course will enable us to complete our own data science project in our final year.
I have also enjoyed being part of an apprenticeship cohort. Learning with apprentices from different backgrounds across the public sector has stimulated great discussions about what we are learning and how it is relevant in our workplaces. There is a perception that apprentices must come from a specific background or be in a certain stage of their education pathway, however, this is simply not true. Anyone can be an apprentice!
I have been able to learn valuable skills both through the formal training programme at the university and working alongside data scientists at the ONS. A major benefit of the scheme is supplementing the theory and techniques learnt through the degree programme with “hands-on” learning when working on projects. This means that as well as learning the theory of different data science techniques which can be used to solve a problem, I also know how to apply these in the real world.
I would strongly encourage people to consider degree apprenticeships as a pathway to higher education. My experience of data science, coding and programming was very limited when I joined the degree apprenticeship scheme. However, the combination of learning through the university and the workplace has meant that I can now confidently and independently apply these skills on real projects. For me, being part of this apprenticeship with Cardiff Met has given me the opportunity to pursue a completely new career in data science!
Interested in knowing more about the BSc Applied Data Science Apprenticeship Degree? Get in touch with our Degree Apprenticeships Lead: apprenticeships@cardiffmet.ac.uk
