AXA UK is investing over £800,000 in a data academy in a move designed to upskill its workforce, support decision-making and enhance customer outcomes.
The financial services giant said that this is the first ever data academy spanning all divisions of an insurance business.
Currently, 54 employees are enrolled in an 18-month data analytics apprenticeship delivered by professional learning academy Avado.
Showcased during National Apprenticeship Week (8 to 14 February), whose theme this year is ‘Build the Future’, this initiative supports AXA UK’s digital transformation into a more “insight-led organisation”, an AXA spokesperson said.
He added that as smart technologies, wearables, cellular networks and other innovations provide ever-richer sources of information, insurers can leverage data to predict customer usage and demand for their services.
He said: “As such, building a comprehensive data strategy will not only deliver operational efficiencies but also enhance customer journeys. That is why this apprenticeship programme places data skills at the heart of AXA UK’s learning and development framework.”
Funded by the Apprenticeship Levy, the scheme is designed for AXA employees who have not previously received formal training in data analytics but can leverage these techniques to transform the way they perform their role. Combining virtual sessions, online study and individual work-based projects, the programme takes up 20% of the participants’ working time. The training’s core topics include:
- The data landscape
- Data preparation andessentials
- Data analysis programming and visualisation
- Advanced analysis and key concepts
- Data life cycle and Big Data
- Customercentricity
- Innovation and ways of working
- Business strategy and planning
- Communication and influence
Upon completing this Level 4 apprenticeship in Spring 2022, employees will obtain a British Computer Society (BCS) Diploma in Data Analysis Concepts and Certificate in Data Analyst Tools.
Shali Vasudeva, chief operating officer, AXA UK & Ireland, said: “As an insurer, we have been leveraging data for a while, from underwriting to claims analytics. We know how crucial these skills are, and we are thrilled to be expanding them throughout the business so colleagues in various functions will be able to leverage data insights to support our customer relationships.”