Working in tandem with Multiverse, the Council will enhance services for residents while closing the budget gap.
Sheffield City Council is investing in a strategic upskilling initiative for 150 of its team, allowing the organisation to leverage technology to improve operational performance and resident experience.
The Data Academy will contribute to the council’s Future Sheffield initiative, providing staff with enhanced digital skills to modernise processes and improve efficiencies. This will allow the council to focus more time on providing services to Sheffield residents while making the organisation more cost-effective.
Funded by the Apprenticeship Levy, training is being delivered by Multiverse, a tech company that identifies, closes and prevents skills gaps, through personalised, on-the-job learning. Multiverse has trained more than 16,000 apprentices in AI, data and digital skills since 2016.
The Sheffield City Council cohort will embark on a range of Multiverse courses, including ‘Data & Insights for Business Decisions’, a level 3 apprenticeship, and ‘Data Fellowship’, a level 4 programme. Once completed, colleagues will be able to conduct data-led projects and encourage data driven decision making, to unlock cost saving opportunities.
The Multiverse Skills Intelligence Report, released in August 2024, highlighted a significant challenge faced by local governments and councils due to a lack of data skills. This shortfall leads to 26% of employees' time spent on data-related tasks being unproductive. The new academy demonstrates how Sheffield City Council is taking action to reduce the skills gap.
Cllr Fran Belbin, Deputy Leader at Sheffield City Council and Chair of the Future Sheffield Members Working Group, said: “The launch of this 150-strong Academy not only marks a commitment to our colleagues’ professional development, but also to our local community. As we seek to enhance operations and reduce time spent with data, we can focus on what matters – providing residents with the highest quality service.”
Multiverse combines work and learning to unlock economic opportunity 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 is the start of a partnership that will provide Sheffield City Council with the tools for organisational transformation. Residents across the UK are reliant on their local authorities, and this is putting Sheffield on the front foot to deliver real value and efficiency.”
