Data & AI Essentials

Level 3 · 100% Funded · No cost to you

You don't need to code. You do need these skills.

A £13,000 Level 3 programme — fully funded through the Growth & Skills Levy. No cost to you, no career break, no technical background required. You'll learn Excel, SQL, Power BI, and AI tools over 15 months, earning a nationally recognised qualification from the Department for Education while working in your current role.

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4.8 / 5

900+ learners trained

Trusted by teams at

Why this matters now

→Data and AI are in everyone's job now.
→Copilot is everywhere. Training for it isn't.
→Level 3 is the baseline most employers now screen for.

"Digital literacy" just changed. This proves you kept up.

What you'll learn

Understand how data and AI actually work — and where they go wrong.
What data is, where it comes from, how organisations use it to make decisions — and how AI tools work, what they're good at, and where they get it wrong. GDPR and data ethics from day one. The stuff everyone nods along to — you'll know.
Build your core data toolkit — with an AI co-pilot.
Excel for organising, cleaning, and analysing data. SQL to query databases and combine multiple sources into one reliable picture. AI assistants to accelerate your work — generating formulas, explaining queries, spotting errors — with the judgement to know when AI is helping and when it's leading you astray.
Turn data into something people actually act on.
Power BI dashboards and visualisations designed around the questions stakeholders really ask. AI to draft insight narratives and summarise findings — your storytelling to make them land — not get filed.
Operate like a modern data professional — one who uses AI well, not blindly.
Data governance, security, and the specific risks AI introduces — bias, privacy, over-reliance. Light automation to eliminate repetitive tasks. The documentation and collaboration habits that make you the reliable one in any team.
Prove your capability with a real portfolio.
No exams — an end-to-end data and AI project solving a real workplace problem, plus a portfolio of dashboards, analyses, and AI-augmented work you've delivered at work. The evidence, not the essay.

You'll work with

Excel

SQL

Power BI

AI Tools

Awarded by

NCFE

Is this for you?

You'll recognise yourself if:

→Data crosses your desk every week — you just haven't been trained for it
→You already use AI tools — now you want to use them well, not blindly
→You don't have a data background — and that's exactly the point

How it works

2 hrs

Live coaching

A fixed weekly session with your expert coach and a small, friendly cohort. Scenarios, debate, direct feedback.

2 hrs

Self-paced learning

Modules and exercises you work through during your working week. Structured, on-demand, and built to fit around your role.

2 hrs

Coach-supported project work

Deliver data-driven insights your team acts on — applied to real problems in your role, not hypothetical exercises.

6 hrs / week

That's the whole ask.

What you get for your time

Worth £13,000. You pay £0. Funded through the Growth & Skills Levy your employer already pays into. We handle all the paperwork.
Coaches from industry, not lecturers. Your coach has helped hundreds of professionals get confident with data — from Excel to AI. Candid feedback and practical guidance, not hype.
A Level 3 qualification from the Department for Education. Goes on your CV and LinkedIn permanently.
We help you get your employer on board. Most managers say yes immediately once they see it's fully funded and produces real deliverables.
Hands-on practice on Prism. Our 500M+ row simulation platform, modelled on real organisational data. The closest thing to working with live data without the risk.

Your coaches

Industry professionals, not lecturers. They've done the job you want to do.

Izzy Weber

Head Coach

DataCamp and PwC. Knows what employers actually look for.

Tash Joslin

Data Coach

20+ years in data strategy. Co-founded Mojo.

Jen Godlonton

Head of Curriculum

Previously Black Swan Data. Heads curriculum at iO-Sphere.

Jonas Torres

Head Part-time Coach

Real-world data expertise from Truv.

Abdul Mafe

Data & AI Coach

Enterprise data governance at Three Network.

Martin Stanley

Data Analytics Coach

Data analytics leadership across consulting, retail and telco (BT Group).

Andrew Lane

Data & AI Coach

Governance and AI ethics. Trained as a lawyer.

Honestly, iO-Sphere was one of the best decisions I've made. I came in nervous from a non-traditional background, but I never once felt like I didn't belong.
Ioana Mihaescu — iO-Sphere graduate

What our learners say

4.8 / 5on Google

“I'm in HR so I went in thinking most of it wouldn't apply to me, but I ended up automating parts of our HR process and building a system that flags people ready for promotion. Would definitely recommend if you're in a non-technical role.”

Steph

trustpilot

“A great balance between technical capability and real-world application. What really sets iO-Sphere apart is the emphasis on communication and storytelling — a critical skill in any data role.”

Sheena Shah

google

“The combination of technical training and soft skills development has been incredibly valuable, and it played a huge role in helping me secure my dream job.”

Carlos Gomes

google

“What stood out most was how practical it was. Rather than just learning theory, I worked on realistic business problems using large datasets. Really valuable experience.”

Keni Duguma

google

“We enrolled two of our analysts and both came back more capable and more confident. The programme paid for itself inside a quarter. We're already planning to put a third person through.”

Sarah Holt

L&D Manager

“A well-structured, thoughtful programme with a strong emphasis on practical skills. The curriculum is clearly designed by people who understand how data is actually used.”

Kemal Yusuf

google

“It was a very detailed programme. We covered data dictionaries, data governance, business drivers, OKRs, KPIs, customer segmentation, and A/B testing. All the coaches were amazing!”

Gloria Ayoola

google

“This course has been extremely great. It has taken me from no skills in data to being a fully fledged data analyst.”

Stacey Carroll

google

“Honestly, iO-Sphere was one of the best decisions I've made. I came in nervous from a non-traditional background, but I never once felt like I didn't belong.”

Ioana Mihaescu

google

“I started as someone quite lost in my job hunt. With the help of the coaches, I managed to secure a new role and feel much more confident from an upskilling and employability perspective.”

Mahli

google

“It improved my technical skills from nothing to being adept at Excel, SQL, and Power BI. I would definitely recommend this to anyone trying to upskill.”

Lachlan Brown

google

“A transformative intense experience. Great team and great training that prepares you for the work environment.”

A S

google

“I joined because I wanted proper certification to validate the skills I'd already built — not to pivot careers, but to formalise and level up what I was doing in data. And it delivered exactly that.”

Chris Thomas

google

Claim your funded place — it takes two minutes

Take the first step — it takes two minutes. We'll be in touch within one working day with a 15-minute call to answer your questions, check the fit, and help you get your employer on board. No pressure, no pitch.

FAQs

How much does it cost me?+

Nothing. This is a fully funded programme delivered through the Growth & Skills Levy — a contribution your employer already makes. If your employer has a payroll under £3 million, the government covers 95% and your employer contributes the remaining 5%. Either way, nothing comes out of your pocket.

How much of my time does it take?+

Six hours a week during your working hours — your employer releases the time. Two hours of live coaching, two hours of self-paced learning, two hours of coach-supported project work. No evenings, no weekends.

Can I apply?+

If you're employed in England, aged 19+, and have the right to work in the UK, you're almost certainly eligible. No degree required. No technical background required. We'll confirm in your 15-minute call.

When can I start?+

The next cohort starts 25 May 2026. Apply now to secure your place — we'll help you get your employer on board before the start date.

What if my employer says no?+

Most say yes once they understand it's fully funded, fits around your job, and produces real work output they can see. We'll give you everything you need for the conversation — and we're happy to speak to your manager directly.