Helping apprentices lead the field in big data
Anglia Ruskin University and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute have received funding to launch a new degree apprenticeship to help address the acute shortage of skilled professionals in a big data sector which is growing by 56,000 jobs a year.
Anglia Ruskin’s Degrees at Work team is working with the Sanger Institute to develop the Data Scientist course for the bioinformatics sector after winning the grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) Degree Apprenticeship Development Fund.
The emergence of big data and its use in biological research has led to a growing need for skilled professionals who can analyse and interpret biological data. Genomics in particular is a growth industry, with Deloitte reporting that the industry will grow by 20 per cent this year.
The degree apprenticeship, to be launched in September 2018, will enable employers to provide in-work training for their employees, improving their skills base and helping to address the needs of the sector.
Anglia Ruskin has been supported in its application by several global companies involved in genetics and computational biology, including Global Gene Corp, Specific Techologies, SciBite, Eagle Genomics, Congenica, and Genomics England.
“Cambridge has a global reputation for excellence in the biotech industry. Anglia Ruskin is delighted to be working in partnership with the prestigious Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute on this innovative degree apprenticeship. We hope this will become a game changer for growing the talent infrastructure for the bioinformatics profession.”
Jon Bouffler Director of Learning and Development Services at Anglia Ruskin
“This area of work is a relatively new occupation and as such, may not be visible to many young people at the beginning of their careers. Already we are seeing a skills shortage in this important area, despite being acutely aware that genomics and biodata offer an incredibly diverse and promising career path for anyone.
“We hope this apprenticeship will help people in search of a rewarding career find an inspiring and fulfilling future.”
Janet Scotcher Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute
For further information, contact degreesatwork@anglia.ac.uk
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Anglia Ruskin
Anglia Ruskin is an innovative global university, brimming with ambition. Students from 177 countries gain qualifications with us in four continents. Students, academics, businesses and partners all benefit from our outstanding facilities; we’ve invested £100 million over the last five years and plan to invest a further £91 million over the next five years.
Anglia Ruskin’s Research Institutes and five faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields. We deliver impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference, from saving lives to conserving water. Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 12 areas classed as generating world-leading research.
We are ranked in the world’s top 350 institutions in the 2018 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and in 2016 we featured in a list of the 20 “rising stars” in global Higher Education compiled by strategy consultants Firetail.
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute
The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is one of the world’s leading genome centres. Through its ability to conduct research at scale, it is able to engage in bold and long-term exploratory projects that are designed to influence and empower medical science globally. Institute research findings, generated through its own research programmes and through its leading role in international consortia, are being used to develop new diagnostics and treatments for human disease.
