With AI becoming a bigger part of our lives, it makes sense to consider a tech career in the fields of data engineering and machine learning. But if you don’t have a tech background or a computer science degree, this can feel difficult to achieve.
Luckily, it’s not as out of reach as you might think! You don’t need to have been coding since you were a child, worked in a scientific field, or spent years studying. With the Data Engineering, AI & Machine Learning bootcamp, you can learn everything you need to switch to a career in tech in just a few weeks.
Who can become a data engineer?
At Northcoders, we’ve helped people from all walks of life launch new careers in data engineering—teachers, retail workers, baristas, musicians and more. You don’t need any degree or industry experience, just a willingness to learn and the drive to dive into the world of tech.
If you’ve never written a line of code before, that’s okay too. Our application process includes a free mini-course to learn the basics of Python at your own pace. You’ll also have live support available online from our tutors, so you can ask questions if you get stuck. This helps you see if coding is right for you and sets you up to start the bootcamp confidently.
How long does it take to retrain?
With the Data Engineering, AI & Machine Learning bootcamp, you can transform your career in just 14 weeks.
You’ll cover all the fundamentals of Python and data engineering, as well as key concepts of AI, machine learning, and cloud engineering. You’ll also complete a final project with AI applications. This will be a great portfolio piece to showcase to future employers.
The course is full-time, with core hours from 9:30 to 15:00, Monday to Friday. During these times, you’ll have live teaching sessions in small groups, and learn to collaborate on tech tasks with your coursemates.
You’ll also have an additional 2.5 hours of self-learning each day, to do at a time that suits you. Tutors will be available from 8:30 to 17:00 to help with any questions you have.
What job can I look forward to?
As soon as you graduate, you’ll have the skills you need to start a role in tech right away. Most of our students start their careers as junior data engineers. The average yearly salary for this junior role is £31K in 2025, according to Glassdoor. After that, your career can go into different and more specific directions, such as machine learning engineering, for example.
Our Careers Team will prepare you for the tech hiring process and support you with everything from crafting the perfect CV to practising mock interviews. You’ll also gain access to the Northcoders jobs board, where our hiring partners will directly advertise any relevant job opportunities.
We have over 400 hiring partners, such as Wren Kitchens, Kraken Flex or the BBC, helping us ensure that we always have opportunities for our graduates and that our bootcamp is always relevant. As the field of tech evolves, our bootcamp’s curriculum is regularly updated to remain tailored to the industry and employers’ requirements.
How do I get started to become a Data and AI engineer?
You can start an application or find more details on our course page. Once you create an application, you’ll gain access to our materials to learn to code in Python.
We also have different payment options available, such as ‘pay when you get a job’ or an interest-free payment plan. You can find out more about ways to fund your course here.
If you have any questions about your application or the bootcamp, our Onboarding team is here to help. You can contact us at [email protected].
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