The train operator for the East of England, Greater Anglia (GA), has launched a new data training apprenticeship for its staff, with tech company, Multiverse, with the aim of delivering a better service for customers through more effective use of data.
The new apprenticeship will equip staff members with increased technical skills and broader knowledge to more confidently navigate the data landscape and use data better within their jobs.
The intention is that this more effective use of information across the company will help improve handling of disruption, enhance customer feedback analysis, streamline information processing and help the prioritisation and delivery of service improvements shaped directly by passenger feedback and performance data.
The apprenticeship marks the latest step in Greater Anglia’s drive to upskill its workforce via learning and apprenticeship opportunities, which it offers to all its employees regardless of age or where they are in their careers. The company, which operates trains across East Anglia, has seen over 260 employees complete apprenticeships across all areas of the business since 2017.
This new apprenticeship began this summer. Greater Anglia initially enrolled seven staff from its Safety, Security & Sustainability, Commercial and Train Service Delivery departments. A second cohort will begin the specialist training later this month from Greater Anglia’s Retail Systems, Train Service Delivery, Procurement, Safety, Security & Sustainability and Engineering departments.
Training is being delivered by Multiverse(opens new window), a tech company delivering high-quality training through applied learning. Multiverse has trained more than 16,000 apprentices in data and digital skills since 2016.
Following a skills assessment by Multiverse, a total of six employees will undertake the Data Insights for Business Decisions programme. This will equip the group with the technical skills and knowledge to confidently navigate the data landscape. Nine other employees will complete the 13-month Data Fellowship. This is a level-4 apprenticeship designed to upskill data-literate colleagues into high-performing analysts and data science professionals. The final course, which will be undertaken by two employees, is the degree-level Advanced Data Fellowship, giving them enhanced skills and tools to build data analytics capabilities within the organisation and use data to inform decision-making.
Mark McClure, Marketing and Digital Analyst, who is undertaking the level 4 data fellowship course, said:
“The apprenticeship has made me think about how we use data and will improve the reports I create.
“I have already learnt a lot within the first two modules regarding analysis and management and look forward to enhancing my skills in data visualisation.”
Leon Kong, Data Strategy Manager at Greater Anglia said:
“Data is integral to Greater Anglia’s aspirations to continually give people greater journeys.
“This partnership with Multiverse offers a valuable opportunity for our colleagues to deepen their data expertise, driving forward our capabilities and operational efficiency.”
Viktorija Novikova, Early Careers and Apprenticeships Manager at Greater Anglia said:
“The apprenticeship partnership with Multiverse opens up the world of improving our data use and making our colleagues data experts for the first time in a structured way.
“We offer apprenticeships to all colleagues that are relevant to their work as part of continuous career development and talent succession planning and this opportunity is the latest step in this. We are excited to see the results in the coming months from everyone on the course.”
Multiverse is a tech-first institution that combines work and learning to unlock economic opportunities for everyone. It works with more than 1,500 organisations to close critical skill gaps in the workforce in AI, data and tech, through a new kind of apprenticeship.
Gary Eimerman, Chief Learning Officer at Multiverse said:
“This partnership marks an opportunity for Greater Anglia to lead across the industry, as it looks to utilise data for better service provision and environmental credentials.
"We’re excited to work with the team as we collaboratively integrate data skills into a business relied on by millions daily for environmentally conscious, reliable travel.”
