Last year we launched two free Digital Skills Bootcamps, as part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee and Plan for Jobs.

The 12-week Bootcamp gave learners the opportunity to learn the skills needed by employers, to become a Coder or a Cloud Analyst – as well as connecting learners with local employers who were recruiting for these specific skills.

Due to popular demand, our FREE Digital Skills Bootcamps are back this year! Click here to find out more information about what we're offering, with courses including Intro to Coding and Working with Data!

We caught up with Louise, who completed the Skills Bootcamp last year to become a Cloud Analyst.

What were you doing before applying for the Digital Skills Bootcamp?

My previous role was managing accounts payable team, but after being made redundant I wanted to learn new skills and try something a little bit different.

What have you learnt on the course?

I learnt the fundamentals of cloud technology but also it covered data structures and how different data is ingested and stored. We were supported by a great teacher as well, who made it easy for us to learn and put our theory into practice.

How will this benefit you in your career?

This new knowledge has given me a good grounding to support the azure cloud-based software, especially as databases underpin all software. When a bug is raised, I can also look to automate testing and new processes or scripts when required.

What was the highlight of the course?

The Bootcamp was great, it taught me lots of new skills which will benefit me as mentioned previously, but my personal highlight was passing first time.

What has happened after completing the course?

I have started a new job with Zahara software - cloud based purchasing software. I’m second line support but they are training me up to do dev ops (MS Azure).

How did the Bootcamp set you up for a change in job?

The course helped me understand cloud technology foundations and gave me the spark to further my knowledge.

What would you say to someone considering studying on this Bootcamp?

My advice to anyone doing the course, is to make the time to study and be focused. Do as many mock exams as possible and practise in the labs. Take full advantage of the teacher and ask as many questions as possible.

Don't forget to check out and sign up for our Free Digital Skills Bootcamps here!