Marking a major step in artificial intelligence (AI) and technology education in the software sector, Redgate has partnered with Cambridge Spark to offer AI apprenticeships to a group of its software engineers. Cambridge Spark will welcome the first cohort of learners from Redgate to the Level 7 Data Science & AI programme in February 2024.
Why AI apprenticeships?
Redgate, a leader in software innovation for over 20 years, is pursuing a strategic vision of investment in and development of AI solutions. As it explores avenues to enhance its product offerings with AI capabilities including synthetic data generation, performance predictions and digital twin database applications, Redgate recognises the importance of recruiting, developing and retaining top-tier talent in the field of machine learning (ML) and AI.
As a result, Redgate and Cambridge Spark have partnered to create new solutions for cultivating home-grown talent.
“Offering AI apprenticeships to our teams is a significant opportunity to drive new technology adoption and innovation internally, as well as promote engagement and retention of talented software engineers across our team,” says Jeff Foster, Director of Innovation and Technology at Redgate Software. “We recently introduced our first AI product offering, Prompt+, via an early access programme,” Foster continued. “Designed to transform the way we develop software, the tool uses natural language prompts to reduce errors, optimize coding and increase productivity. This is only the start, however, as Redgate looks to accelerate AI adoption, not only for our customers, but also for our people, and this is where we will benefit from upskilling initiatives such as Cambridge Spark’s apprenticeship offering.”
Cambridge Spark's Level 7 Data Science & AI apprenticeship allows Redgate to reskill current software engineers working at Redgate into ML and AI roles. With a focus on practical and applicable AI solutions, the programme addresses real-world challenges in areas like synthetic data generation and novel AI applications.
By the end of the 15-month programme, the first cohort of participants will have attained a master's level qualification in data science and AI. The apprenticeship is fully publicly funded by the UK Apprenticeship Levy.
“This program offers a unique opportunity to deepen my expertise in data science and make meaningful contributions to real-world projects,” said Varghese John, a software engineer at Redgate and one of the participants in the apprenticeship scheme. “The chance to learn from industry experts, engage in hands-on work, and collaborate with like-minded peers as part of a community is not to be missed, and I am looking forward to the data-driven innovations I hope to achieve as part of this scheme.”
Mark Jackson, a software engineer at Redgate said “The AI apprenticeship is a really exciting opportunity, providing a good grounding in this fascinating technology, and practical advice on real-world applications. My manager and colleagues have been really encouraging and supportive, and Redgate's commitment to dedicated time and resources for learning is really helpful. Personally I'm hoping to build on my background in scientific software to develop into a valuable individual contributor in ML engineering, and I'm looking forwards to seeing Redgate as a whole deliver value to our customers through AI.”
Those interested in similar apprenticeships for their own organizations should visit Cambridge Spark’s Level 7 AI programme page to learn more about this programme, or see more on the Apprenticeships page to learn about other options.
Image: Varghese John and Mark Jackson.
