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.
The bootcamp does require some coding skills, but 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 fundamentals of coding 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 with the right skills 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 a few 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, running from 8:30 to 17:00, Monday to Friday. You’ll have live teaching sessions, interactive workshops, and learn to collaborate on tech tasks with your coursemates.
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 ££33,818 in 2026, according to Glassdoor. After that, your career can go into different and more specific directions, such as machine learning engineering, for example.
You’ll also get access to career support resources, so you can craft the perfect CV and feel ready for job interviews. You’ll gain access to the Northcoders jobs board too, 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 and be able to book in a chat with a member of our team.