Training and Placement in Top Data Roles
We provide intensive training to recent graduates, equipping them with the technical and professional skills needed to excel in roles such as data engineering or data analysis with top-tier clients. Our 3-4 month training programme focuses on developing "Graduate+" team members who are ready to make meaningful contributions from day one. As a Graduate+, you will not only master technical skills, but also learn essential teamwork and professional development strategies to drive business growth.
Upon completing the training, we will match you with a client for a minimum two-year placement. As our employee embedded within the client's team, you will receive ongoing support through additional training, regular one-to-one sessions, and valuable networking opportunities within the industry.
If you excel during this time, there is potential for the client to offer you a permanent position. Regardless of your choice, we are committed to guiding you in exploring your future career path, and you will become part of our alumni network, providing avenues for ongoing connections and new opportunities.
Months 1 to 3-4 (world class training)
We firmly believe that anyone can forge a successful career in data and technology if they have a passion for problem-solving. Our programme demands dedicated attendance every day, wholehearted commitment to the work, and support for your colleagues over the 3-4 month period. The training is free and unpaid, and prior to commencing the programme, you will need to commit to working for Sigma Labs for 2 years should we find you a role.
Professional high performance: Our training encompasses modules in logical problem-solving, teamwork, and professional excellence. We have drawn upon the finest graduate programmes worldwide, such as those offered by Bain, McKinsey, and BCG. While this professional training may seem less crucial for a technical programme, we believe that your ability to operate effectively in a professional team will determine your long-term success. We view this training as vital as the technical aspects.
Technical excellence: The technical training is an intensive, full-time period from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm, covering software fundamentals and data engineering. You will learn to write complex code using Python and SQL, create APIs, work with structured and unstructured data, and deploy applications to the cloud. The training will adapt to meet changing skill demands, with the aim of over-qualifying you and maximising our chances of finding a client for you.
Upon completion, you will be equipped for various roles, including Data Engineering and Analysis.
Months 4+ to 28 (a role in tech)
After your training, you will enter a Transition Period of 4 to 8 weeks. During this time, we will arrange interviews with our clients and aim for you to become an integral part of their team for 2 years. You will feel like one of the client's employees in your day-to-day work, with our support in the background. Our entire model is designed to find you work with our clients, and we are committed to doing everything we can to help you become a high-performance professional. While we can't guarantee the specific role, you will have the opportunity to excel.
Throughout the transition period, you will also work on personal projects and continue learning to solidify your knowledge and better prepare you for your first tech role. Our team will continue to be available to support you.
When you start working with one of our clients, your salary with Sigma Labs will be £30,000. We will continue to develop you throughout this period with ongoing technical, pastoral, and professional support via our team though we will not be working on the client's projects ourselves.
Our ultimate goal is to ensure you have the skills and practical experience to be in a mid-level technical role after 2 years and ultimately excel in a much longer career. We want to equip you with the knowledge and belief to achieve this.
Months 28+ (a network to drive continued success)
After two years at Sigma Labs, you have several exciting opportunities ahead:
- Transition to the client company or secure a mid-level technical position with another leading organisation, potentially earning >£45,000.
- Join our vibrant alumni network, offering regular events and direct access to a global pool of senior managers from prestigious organisations, dedicated to supporting your long-term success.
- Embrace the chance to guide and mentor new trainees and consultants, contributing to the growth and development of the Sigma Labs community.
If you’re unsure, email us to ask us anything: about the training, the job, the company, your career. Career decisions are significant events so while we want you to do your research we also want to give you the chance to get to know us first.
Software is everywhere
By beginning your career in a technical field such as software, data or cloud (anything from software development, to test engineering to ServiceNow architecture) you’ll have the power to shape both your future and the world around you.
It was developers that connected every mobile on the planet, that wrote the software that drives every Tesla, and that allowed the global financial markets to function from an iPhone. We can’t promise that you’ll do these things on Day 1, but you will learn how to over the two years.
To give you an idea of how much software has affected the world so far, consider the following:
- 7 of the 10 largest companies in the world are technology companies. The other three are increasingly digitising how they operate;
- Spend on digital transformation, changing physical process to digital ones, is forecast to be over $6 trillion per year by 2024 (IDC);
- Spend on corporate software and services is expected to be more than $2 trillion per year in 2023 (Gartner).
Start Coding
If you want to know if you would like a career working in technology then start coding and see how much you enjoy it. Even though there will be days when you don't code as much you would expect, coding will be central to everything you do and it makes it much easier if you enjoy it!
For anyone new(ish) to coding, you could try Udacity's Free Intro to Python Programming. These 7 simple lessons will take you through the fundamentals to writing good code that produce accurate results. Candidates who reach our final assessment will use Python to solve some problems and we recommend everyone complete this course beforehand. Even Computer Science graduates have found this helpful for giving them a stronger foundation.
If you want further inspiration, then try out the following videos:
- What most schools don't teach you some big names sharing their thoughts on the coding "superpower";
- The history of computer science best way to know where we are going is to know where we have come from;
- What does a software developer actually do? a developer sets out the activities they regularly do.
Great communication skills
Clear, concise and engaging communication makes everything easier whether through writing, interviewing or collaboration
An ability to solve problems
Coding is a problem-solving tool, but what really matters is your approach, e.g. logical, breaking things down, considering a range of factors and not just what is in front of you.
A Coachable character
You want to learn and develop and understand that failing is part of the process and are open to talking about it
A Conscientious mindset
You set goals that others appreciate and will work hard to achieve them to the best of your ability
A Proactive personality
You don't wait to be told what to do but look for opportunities to improve and persist until you make the most of them.
Economic
At least one of the following applies:
- Attended a non-academically selective state school between the ages of 11 and 16.
- Received free school meals
- Grew up in a household with a total annual income less than £43,000.
- Received local authority care.
- Received university benefits.
Education
We do not accept applications from anyone who attended private school in the UK or abroad regardless of other factors.
The economic criteria are used to assess those who attended secondary school in the UK. Applicants who were educated outside of the UK will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
- Were awarded, or are predicted, a 2:2 or higher for a 3-4 year first degree in the UK in any subject since 2020, or
- If you graduated with a 3rd then you achieved at least an A in one STEM subject at A-Level.
Right to work in the UK
You must have the right to work in the UK for at least 3 years after starting. Typically this means that the following applies:
- UK Passport holder
- EEA/EU Settled Status
- Indefinite Leave to Remain
Currently we cannot sponsor visas. Please get in touch if you think you may be eligible in a different way to what has been shown above.
Application: Background, Eligibility and Motivation
Tell us about yourself, the coding that you have (or have not) done and why you want to work in technology.
Stage 1: Understanding your Skill and Potential
There are two parts:
(a) an online gamified or task-based assessment focused primarily on your problem solving ability - no maths or coding required!
(b) If you show an approach we think aligns well with coding, we will ask you to answer a few additional questions to see what makes you tick.
Stage 2: 30 minute Video Interview
Meet with one of our team members, get to know us and use the opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the role and that you think and communicate well enough to add value as part of a team.
Stage 3: Technical Interview
Between applying and Stage 3 we will encourage you to learn how to code in Python as that is what will be used in the assessment. This is not about showing how great a coder you are (our training doesn't benefit great coders). We want to see how you solve problems using code as a tool and therefore you need to understand how the "tool" works.
Offer and Training begins
We will send you an offer letter and hope you accept. The training will be predominantly online but we will invite you to our London office at times (we will cover expenses) as face-to-face interactions are difficult to beat.
If the above has not answered your questions, please drop us an email here.
If the above has not answered your questions, please drop us an email here.
Our consultants come from a wide range of backgrounds and have different career aspirations and reasons for wanting to work in technology. We aim to provide the best start that sets them on the right trajectory towards a fulfilling career - here are some of their thoughts.
The application form is below. Please follow the instructions closely and review your answers before submitting to ensure all of the details are correct. We always recommend checking What we are looking for and Eligibility before getting started to give you the best chance of progressing.
If you are new to technology and want to know if you would enjoy it, try a little coding. If you never try it then you wont know if it is for you!
We have created a FAQs page with answers to candidates' most common question. If you have any further questions then please drop us an email and ask us anything. Remember, you don't need coding experience before applying.
We are hiring people for our November cohort (start 28th October). We aim to fill each cohort approximately 1 month before the start date, but it could be earlier as we operate on a first-come-first-served basis. Our early-bird deadline is 2nd August - if you apply by then we guarantee you will have the opportunity to complete the process by the end of August.
Key Points of our Offer:
- 3-4 months of full-time (9am to 6pm), high quality and supportive training followed by 2 years working as part of a client team. See our Glassdoor reviews for insight into what it is like.
- Training is online with daily workshops, coding challenges and weekly coursework and projects. Support is provided through regular 1 to 1s, trainee support groups and a great coach to trainee ratio that allows for quick responses to questions.
- Following a 4-8 week transition period we aim to place you as a consultant with one of our clients as part of their team for 2 years. We support through regular 1 to 1s to discuss the latest feedback and performance, high performance mindset training, continued technical support and access to the greater Sigma Labs network.
- After starting with a client the 1st year salary is £30,000 p.a. and the 2nd year salary is £38,000 p.a.
