Become a Data Analyst with IT Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships enable you to learn on the job and enter the field of IT often faster than traditional university degrees.

Data Analyst is one of our most popular standards at Firebrand. 

Could it be right for you? Let's take a look.
 

What is a Data Analyst?

Data Analysts collect, process, and perform statistical analyses on large datasets, transforming raw data into valuable insights that drive business decisions.

To succeed in this role, you need to be highly technically skilled, be a critical and analytical thinker, and be able to communicate with a range of stakeholders. As virtually every business nowadays uses big data, you could work anywhere, from Finance and Technology to Retail, Marketing, and Healthcare.

In the UK, the average salary for a Data Analyst is £37,000.

What does a Data Analyst do?

Job responsibilities may vary depending on company structure and your particular industry; for example, if you work in Retail and Marketing, you may be more involved with understanding customer behaviour, market research, and sales forecasting, while fields such as Healthcare may be more geared towards using data to improve operational efficiency.

On average, typical Data Analyst job responsibilities include:

• collecting data from sources such as databases, research, APIs
• cleaning and preprocessing data to remove errors
• using statistical tools and software such as Excel, SQL, and Python to analyze data sets
• conducting descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analyses to extract meaningful insights
• identifying data trends, patterns, and anomalies
• creating data charts, graphs, and dashboards using tools like Tableau or Power BI
• preparing detailed reports
• presenting data to various stakeholders, including those without a technical mindset
• collaborating with other departments to understand their data needs
• keeping data secure according to company policies and procedures,

and more.

To fulfil these tasks, Data Analysts are proficient in software such as SQL, Hadoop, and BigQuery for Data Management, Excel, Python, R, and SAS for Data Analysis, Tableau, Power BI, and D3.js for Data Visualization, and SPSS, Stata, and MATLAB for Statistical Analysis. 

What is the Firebrand Data Analyst Apprenticeship like?

At Firebrand, we specialise in getting people certified fast.

We were the first Apprenticeship provider to adopt the new Digital Standards and, three years ago, we became the first training provider to be inducted into the WorldSkills UK Excellence programmes.

Our Level 4 Data Analyst Apprenticeship takes 16 months, 13 months for practical followed by a 3-month EPA.

This apprenticeship helps you develop the key skills you need to extract, model, and present data to provide business insights that your employer can use.

The thorough curriculum takes you through SQL Data Extraction, Statistical Programming Languages, Predictive Modelling & Forecasting, Advanced Data Visualisation, and more fascinating modules.

Our programme is taught through a blended framework of residential and online learning. Throughout the programme, learners are supported by Learning Mentors (from Firebrand as well as at their workplace) and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) with decades of experience in IT.

If you do a Data Analyst Apprenticeship, how can you progress?

After completing your apprenticeship, you can choose to work full-time in Data Analysis, investigate Business Analysis, or pursue further specialisation such as an integrated degree in Data Science (Level 6).

Even though Artificial Intelligence is changing the way we work, Data Analysis is one of the least likely professions to be replaced by AI given the degree of nuance and insight this job requires. In all, Data Analysis is proving to be a resilient career path in the years to come.

Interested?

See our latest Apprenticeship vacancies.

About Firebrand

For the past 13 years in a row, we’ve been named one of the Top 20 IT Training Companies in the World.

We specialise in accelerated courses, bespoke solutions, and Apprenticeships that get you certified at twice the speed.

Could one of them be right for you?