No, you do not need to have had any formal education in tech. We actively encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our Frontier AI Programme. We recommend having done some self-study in your chosen pathway, but our training is designed to upskill those without any previous experience in technology.
No, a degree is not a requirement when applying to the Frontier AI Programme.
At Digital Futures, we assess for potential.
Once you have submitted your application, you will be invited to our bespoke online learning platform, Skills, where you can complete our assessment. Our online assessment is in three parts, all of which look for your unique traits, strengths, cognitive capability, and aptitude for your chosen pathway through a series of written, mathematical, and Python assessments. If you have never done any Python before, we provide learning resources which will help you complete the coding challenge.
If you are successful, you will be invited for a screening interview with a member of our team before being invited for a final interview with one of our instructors.
Yes, parts of the assessment are timed. If you are invited to complete the assessment and require extra time or any other accommodations, you can contact our team and let us know what support you need, and we’ll be happy to help. You can find our support email at the bottom of your assessment invitation or via our assessment platform.
No, the interviews are conducted remotely using Microsoft Teams.
No, we are proud of the fact that our trainees do not pay for any training, professional certifications, or further learning as part of our commitment to closing the skills gap and creating sustainable employment opportunities.
We make a significant investment in you, and every one of our consultants, so we expect you to finish your training and stay with Digital Futures during your first deployment with our clients.
No, the training period is unpaid. However, you will be receiving world-class, industry-oriented training completely free of charge which will set you up for your successful career.
Once you become a permanent employee of Digital Futures, your starting salary will be £27,500 per annum.
Unfortunately, not. We require that you have the right-to-work-in-the-UK status, and you are able to evidence it as part of your onboarding into the Frontier AI Programme. We are also unable to accept applications from people who are still in the process of applying for a visa and we are unable to sponsor Tier 2 visas.
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept candidates on a Graduate Visa. This visa is valid for only two years and cannot be extended or switched to a Skilled Worker visa within our organisation, as we do not offer visa sponsorship. Therefore, candidates must have the right to work in the UK independently of Digital Futures sponsorship.
Unfortunately, we’re not able to support employment via a Dependent Visa route. This is because UK immigration rules can change unexpectedly, and dependent visas rely on factors outside of the applicant’s control – such as their partner’s employment, visa status or relationship status. These uncertainties make it too risky for us to proceed with applications based on this type of visa.
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications from candidates on a BNO visa. While this visa does provide the right to work in the UK, it is subject to external factors and potential changes in immigration policy. As we are unable to offer visa sponsorship and require candidates to have a stable, long-term right-to-work status independent of Digital Futures, we are not able to proceed with applications based on this visa type.
We understand that sometimes big decisions are hard to make, which is why we give you 15 working days from the start of the training to notify us of your intent to leave the programme. Following this, you might be required to pay an exit fee equivalent to the cost of training for the 12 weeks.
The requirement to pay back fees only applies to the training contract and is not part of your employment contract.
We are really proud to have an ethical retention policy and therefore you will not be subject to an exit fee should you choose to leave once you are working full time for Digital Futures as a consultant. You will be on a six-month notice period, as per the expectations of our clients.
Once you become an employee of Digital Futures you will be entitled to the following benefits:
Digital Futures is a technology services company. We train all our consultants in technical disciplines and those who graduate from the programme and are deployed with our clients become employees of Digital Futures. All our training is delivered by industry accredited instructors, and you will graduate with industry-recognised certifications from our technology partners.
There will be no requirement for you to complete any pre-work ahead of the training, but you will be provided with resources which we would strongly encourage you to use to help you prepare.
You should think of attending the training as a full-time job. Training runs for a minimum of 12-weeks and is delivered during normal business hours (9am-5pm).
Our training is delivered remotely via Zoom, with all teaching taught live by your instructors alongside your fellow cohort members. In addition, there are two in-person days during the programme:
If you live outside of Greater London, your travel expenses will be covered by Digital Futures for this event.
There may be other occasions where you are asked to come into our London offices, in which case we will cover your travel expenses if you live outside of Greater London.
You’ll build the technical and consulting skills needed to succeed in a data and AI role, guided by expert instructors.
Modules include:
No, it is not possible to do another course whilst enrolled on the Frontier AI Programme. Due to the intensity of the training and the time commitment, you will be short of spare time to allocate to another course.
Anyone who is accepted into our Frontier AI Programme is expected to have their own laptop for the training. In some instances, we will provide a laptop to those with extenuating circumstances.
We have had many consultants graduate from the training with little or no coding experience. The content is difficult, and you will need to work hard to build the knowledge quickly, but it is possible to start with zero experience and successfully graduate. A basic understanding of Python is highly recommended and is required to pass the online assessment.
No, this is not possible due to the structure of our immersive training programme. We will make exceptions on a case-by-case basis for religious holidays and family emergencies.
There are three steps you must complete to graduate.
At the end of your training period, you will work towards your graduation. To become eligible for deployment, you must have graduated from the Frontier AI Programme. You will be expected to graduate within 4-weeks of completing the training. Once you have graduated, we will work together with you to secure your first deployment.
You will be expected to continue upskilling and to be available for client interviews during this time.
No, it can take a number of weeks after you complete your training. Once you have graduated, you will enter the pre-deployment period. The pre-deployment period is a structured phase you enter after graduating from training and before starting your client placement. It is designed to support your transition into a client-facing role.
During this time you’ll:
The pre-deployment period can last up to six weeks. While the timeline is flexible, the aim is to secure a placement within this period.
Please note: This is an unpaid period.
Once your deployment has been secured, you will be offered an employment contract with Digital Futures, and you will start your role as a consultant on client projects.
If we have not secured a placement for you within the six-week pre-deployment period, you are free to seek employment outside of Digital Futures.
No, deployment is not guaranteed. To become eligible for deployment, you must firstly successfully complete all graduation criteria. We will then work with you to secure your deployment, the timing of which is dependent on the demand from our clients. There may be instances when the timing of client demand and the graduation cycle from our Academy are not perfectly aligned. If there is a delay, you will continue to be supported to further your learning and development in readiness for deployment.
The length of time you are deployed at any one client varies from project to project. If a deployment comes to an end, we will seek further deployment opportunities for you with our clients, following standard consultancy practice.
Our clients are some of the most innovative companies in the consulting, financial services, media and telecoms, public services, and retail industries. All our clients are selected based on their alignment with Digital Futures culture and values.
Our clients operate nationwide, specifically in London, Birmingham, Norwich, Leeds, York, Sheffield and Bristol. You must be able to commute or relocate to one of these locations for your deployment.
As part of our commitment to creating opportunity, Digital Futures offers a comprehensive relocation policy. This includes up to £2500 split across travel costs and accommodation support.
No, you will not always be able to choose the organisation to which you are deployed. However, we will always aim to match your skills and capabilities to the appropriate organisation, and we take into consideration your long-term career aspirations as well as location and industry preferences.
Some of our consultants have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to travel within the UK as part of their role. Should you need to travel as part of your work, your expenses will be covered.
Throughout your placement, you will have direct access to a Delivery Manager who will oversee your development and provide continuous technical and pastoral support. You will also have access to the whole Digital Futures team, all of whom have an open-door policy, and you will also be invited to take part in our company- wide CSR and social events.
Yes, probably. Whilst this does depend on client demand, so far, most of our consultants have been deployed with at least one other member of their cohort.
Once you become a permanent employee of Digital Futures, you can expect to be deployed to multiple client projects as a consultant across your time with us. This may be within the same organisation as your first deployment, or you may have the opportunity to rotate to a different client. As you gain experience, you will have the opportunity to progress into more senior consulting roles with us.
It is highly unlikely that you will convert to permanent employment with our clients, although this has been an opportunity for a small number of our consultants.
