Build the data and AI systems organisations run on.
A £19,000 Level 5 programme — fully funded through the Skills Levy. No cost to you. No career break. SQL, Python, cloud, and pipelines for data and AI workloads.
Next cohort: 14 September 2026.
Why this matters now
- Every AI product runs on pipelines someone built.
- AI workloads have changed what data infrastructure looks like.
- Qualified data engineers are scarce. Level 5 sets you apart.
AI gets headlines. Engineers build the thing. This puts you inside.
What you'll learn
Design data systems that scale with your organisation.
Data modelling, normalisation, governance, and AI-readiness from day one. The architectural thinking that prevents the tech-debt spaghetti everyone else inherits.
Build the storage layer that powers everything else.
SQL, NoSQL, lakehouse architectures, version control for data, and CI/CD for pipelines. Designed for real workloads — including the patterns AI products depend on.
Ship pipelines that feed analytics, products and AI.
ETL/ELT across batch, streaming and API flows. Orchestration with Airflow, error handling, monitoring — pipelines that run reliably overnight and keep running when something upstream changes.
Keep production systems running — even when things break.
Observability, incident response, performance optimisation. What senior engineers do at 3am — including debugging AI-augmented pipelines where the failure mode isn't always in your code.
Build the governance layer engineers can't afford to skip.
GDPR in practice, secrets management, secure-by-design architecture. Data lineage for ML training, bias mitigation in feature engineering, and the audit trails AI workloads now require.
Prove your capability through a real project.
No exams — a production-grade pipeline solving a real workplace problem. Defend your architecture in professional discussion and step forward as a certified Level 5 engineer.
You'll work with
SQL
Python
Google Cloud
Apache AirflowIs this for you?
You'll recognise yourself if:
- You work in data, IT or software — and want to build what others depend on
- You want to engineer AI-ready infrastructure, not just consume AI tools
- You want a Level 5 qualification, not a weekend certificate
How it works
Live coaching
A fixed weekly session with your expert coach and a small, friendly cohort. Scenarios, debate, direct feedback.
Self-paced learning
Modules and exercises you work through during your working week. Structured, on-demand, and built to fit around your role.
Ship a production-grade pipeline
Design, build and ship a production-grade pipeline — solving a real problem with your organisation's actual data.
That's the whole ask.
What you get for your time
Worth £19,000. 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 built and operated production data systems in real organisations. Candid feedback and practical guidance, not hype.
A Level 5 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.
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
AI Engineer & Data Coach
20+ years in data & AI, from Accenture to Director at Dialpad, and a frontier-LLM trainer. Has coached hundreds into data careers.
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.
It's been a well-rounded learning experience. Early in the programme I realised technical skills are only part of what organisations need. Business understanding, creating impact, and strong soft skills are just as essential — and iO-Sphere's training is geared towards exactly that.
Akintunde Seriki · Data Engineer, iO-Sphere graduate
Claim your funded place — it takes two minutes
Two minutes to apply. We'll follow up 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.
Common questions
How much does it cost me?
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Nothing. The programme is fully funded through the Growth & Skills Levy — a contribution your employer already makes. There's no cost to you and no cost to your employer beyond releasing your time.
How much of my time does it take?
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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?
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If you're 19 or over, employed in England, and have the right to work in the UK, you're almost certainly eligible. We'll confirm in your 15-minute call — there's nothing to prepare.
When can I start?
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The next cohort starts 14 September 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?
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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.
Which government standard is this programme based on?
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It's a fully funded Growth & Skills Levy programme, built on the official Data Engineer standard — Level 5, reference ST1386 on the Skills England register. You're assessed against that national standard, not an in-house syllabus — so the qualification is recognised by employers across the country and stays on your CV and LinkedIn for life. You can verify the standard yourself at skillsengland.education.gov.uk.
The standards are national — how is iO-Sphere's programme tailored?
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Every Growth & Skills Levy funded programme in England is built on a national standard set by Skills England — it sets what you have to be able to do to qualify, and it's the same for every training provider. That's exactly what makes your qualification nationally recognised. What isn't fixed is how you learn it — and that's where we're different. We cover every requirement of the standard, then build the delivery around the data and AI tools, real projects and workplace scenarios you'll actually use in your role — including hands-on practice on Prism, our 500M+ row simulation platform. Same recognised qualification, through a programme that feels like your job, not a textbook.
What our learners say
“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
“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
“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
“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
“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
“This course has been extremely great. It has taken me from no skills in data to being a fully fledged data analyst.”
Stacey Carroll
“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
“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
“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
“A transformative intense experience. Great team and great training that prepares you for the work environment.”
A S
“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
Trusted by teams at
Apply for the 14 September 2026 cohort
Two minutes to apply — then a 15-minute chat to answer your questions, check the fit, and help you get your employer on board. No pressure, no pitch.
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