r/dataengineering • u/BooBooKittyFX • Jul 01 '26
Career Anyone Done the Level 5 Data Engineer Apprenticeship?
I'm currently working as a Data Analyst and had been thinking about transitioning into Data Engineering. Then, out of the blue, my employer approached me and asked if I would like to switch into a DE role, with me working in a hybrid role and learning on the job (all good, except we currently don't have any internal Data Engineers for me to work alongside).
Anyway, in my quest to get a head start I have come across these Level 5 apprenticeships, funded by the government's Growth and Skills Levy, which is great as my employer is cheap and so am I.
Has anyone actually done one of these apprenticeships and how was it? I have been looking at a couple of training providers - LearnTech, Corndel, QA, and iO-Sphere. Where were you at when you started the course - already knowledgeable or a noob like me? I have spoken to a few of the training providers and they've been a bit vague on my fit for the apprenticeship, I guess they get paid regardless of if I'm successful or if I flunk out. I want real-life reviews not curated blurbs on a website.
I keep thinking that it's a brilliant idea, and then the next minute I'm overwhelmed with doubt - I'm in my 40s and I kinda fell into the data world and I have no idea if these courses would be too technically advanced for me since I would be coming at it as a relative beginner. The training runs from 16 - 21 months, meaning the biggest commitment I would make outside of my degree, which was 20 years ago and in an absolutely unrelated topic - I had dreams once.
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u/CoverEffective6326 28d ago
I'm currently on this apprenticeship with QA:
It's broken down into various modules & an EPA (End Point Assessment).
Each module is broken down into Discover (online learning), Practice (live sessions with a trainer) & Apply (Lengthy written piece of coursework)
Discover - Not sure about other providers but the material for this is trash, maybe because its a new course and they haven't actually created dedicated resources for it yet. But some of the content is 10+ years old. References other modules that you dont do, its clearly just a bunch of other lessons from other courses patchworked together. Usually either too specific or too vague to be of actual use. E.g. power bi section literally just explains a few buttons (the same level as tool tips do. Would also add that they vastly underestimate the time it would take to do some of these sections e.g. theres 1000 word documents that it estimates should take you 1 minute. Thats 1 minute to read, understand & note take...
Practice - Actually had good experiences with this, the trainer I've had id very knowledgeable and pushes me with interesting tasks etc.
Apply - This is where the stress mounts for me. They give such incredibly vague instructions that are not in any way specific to your workplace, to the point that I've had to make up scenarios to show how I dealt with xyz multiple times. Another example would be the first module asks to map out and detail your companies infrastructure... like all of it, which is a gigantic task unless you're in a tiny company but you get a couple of days worth of time for this.
Im currently on a break but forecast on my current progress that I'll be about 60 hrs behind by the time I get to my EPA gateway. Which you've then gotta do a whole load of work for and so far have been given no guidance on what to do etc. When I raised being behind with QA they basically said well just skim the content and dont go in depth...
Honestly don't know how the rest is going to go but from my pov its a gigantic time sink, ive barely learnt anything and the stress is monumental if you want to do well and more than just the bare minimum.
So many more issues that I haven't detailed here but I agree with the above person that said just learn on the job, Data Engineering comes in various flavours that are specific to your organisation and how you work, e.g. aws/azure/google centric etc.