Leeds-based data consultancy Oakland Everything Data is investing in the next generation of talent as it announces plans for the second cohort The Oakland Futures Academy – Oakland has also revealed that every member of the first cohort is already working on live client projects.
Central to the project’s success, says Oakland, is the quality of the programme itself. Designed and delivered by Oakland’s experienced consultants and subject matter experts, participants benefit from a world-class induction that combines technical learning with hands-on consultancy experience, giving them the skills, confidence and commercial understanding needed to succeed.
Following the successful launch, a second intake will begin in September, with plans to expand the programme further next year as Oakland continues to invest in developing the next generation of data talent.
One recent intern, Sheffield University Data Science student Poppy Dobson, spent three weeks exploring Microsoft’s latest AI-powered Data Agent technology and presented her findings to the consultancy at the end of her placement.
During the placement, Dobson explored Microsoft Fabric’s Data Agent tool, researching its potential use on future client projects before presenting her findings back to the team. She also gained hands-on experience building lakehouses, Power BI semantic models and Data Agents, manipulating data with PySpark, and attending technical workshops, including a session on Snowflake’s Cortex Code tool.
The placement also gave her the opportunity to learn more about the wide variety of careers available within the data industry, spending time with data engineers, architects, strategists, business analysts and consultants across the business.
Dobson said: “The main thing that stood out to me was the people here, and their kindness and genuine passion for their work. I felt immediately welcomed into the team, and, as corny as it sounds, people really did go ‘above and beyond’ to make sure I was settling in okay, and that any questions I had, technical and otherwise, could be answered.
“I would encourage others looking for internships or experience to try to get involved at careers fairs, guest lectures and talks, online events, and any other opportunities that may come up. Especially in more technical roles, something that employers seem to want to see is a genuine interest in the role, skills, industry or company.”
Nicola Thomson, head of marketing at Oakland, added: “We’ve been absolutely blown away by this first cohort. They’ve embraced every challenge, thrown themselves into learning and are already making a real contribution to client projects. Watching their confidence and capability grow in such a short space of time has been fantastic.
“There’s been a lot of discussion about AI replacing entry-level roles, but our experience couldn’t be more different. As AI evolves, we need more curious, adaptable people who can solve problems, build relationships and think critically. Technology is a brilliant enabler, but it’s people who make the difference.
“That’s why we’re continuing to invest in programmes like Oakland Futures and our university partnerships. We’re passionate about creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds to build a career in data, because the future of our industry depends on developing great talent.”
The Oakland Futures programme was launched to open up careers in data to people from all backgrounds. Whether applicants are graduates, career changers, returners to work or simply have a genuine passion for data, the programme offers the opportunity to build real-world consultancy experience
As demand for data and AI expertise continues to grow, Oakland says that it hopes its investment in new talent demonstrates that the future of work isn’t about replacing people with AI, but equipping its team with the skills they need to work alongside it.
