As local authorities across the UK accelerate their digital transformation strategies, the demand for skilled professionals in AI, automation, and cyber security has never been greater. Forward-thinking councils are recognising that sustainable transformation is not just about technology investment, it’s about investing in people.
That’s why Velocity Academy is proud to be working in partnership with Rochdale Council to recruit and develop the next generation of AI & Automation Practitioners and Cyber Security Technologists through apprenticeship programmes designed for the future of public sector digital services.
For many organisations, digital capability gaps are often addressed through traditional recruitment or external consultancy support. However, Rochdale Council has taken a different approach, one focused on long-term capability building and internal transformation.
According to Nicola Strapps, Assistant Director for Digital, ICT and Transformation at Rochdale Council:
“Investing in AI, Automation, and Cyber Security talent through the apprenticeship pathway was a deliberate move for us. Apprenticeships allow us to nurture talent internally, giving individuals real-world experience while aligning their development closely with our needs.”
This strategy reflects a growing shift within local government: building in-house expertise that understands both the technical landscape and the unique challenges faced by councils and residents.
By developing talent internally, Rochdale Council is creating a workforce that is deeply connected to its communities, services, and long-term vision, something that can be difficult to achieve through external consultancy alone.
The council’s investment in AI and automation talent is directly linked to its wider digital transformation ambitions.
As councils face increasing pressure to improve service delivery while managing tighter budgets and rising demand, technologies such as automation, intelligent workflows, and data-driven decision-making are becoming essential.
Nicola explains:
“Internal expertise enables us to drive service efficiency, make data-driven decisions, and significantly reduce manual workloads. It’s about embedding innovation into our everyday operations and making our services more responsive and effective for residents.”
Through the partnership with Velocity Academy, apprentices will gain practical, hands-on experience working on real digital transformation initiatives while developing highly sought-after technical and professional skills.
This approach not only helps accelerate innovation today, but also creates a sustainable pipeline of future digital leaders within the organisation.
Rochdale Council sees these apprentices as central to its immediate transformation plans.
Over the coming months, the new AI & Automation Practitioners and Cyber Security Technologists are expected to contribute to:
Nicola believes the fresh perspectives apprentices bring will play a major role in accelerating change:
“Their fresh perspectives and growing skills will help us accelerate digital change, improve outcomes for residents, and make our processes more agile and resilient.”
The roles of AI & Automation practitioners and Cyber Security Technologists are evolving rapidly, particularly within the public sector.
As councils continue adopting new technologies and digital services, these professionals will increasingly move beyond purely technical responsibilities into more strategic roles that shape organisational change.
Looking ahead, Nicola sees these positions becoming integral to the council’s future:
“As technology advances, their responsibilities will expand—collaborating across departments, leading digital initiatives, and ensuring our systems remain secure and innovative.”
This reflects a broader trend across the UK workforce, where digital, automation, and cyber skills are becoming critical to organisational resilience and service innovation.
One of the most exciting aspects of the programme is the opportunity to bring new energy, curiosity, and ideas into the organisation.
For Velocity Academy, this is exactly what apprenticeship-led talent development is designed to achieve, creating meaningful career opportunities while helping organisations build future-ready teams.
Nicola highlights the cultural impact these learners can have:
“They challenge us to think differently, bring fresh ideas and try new things, helping us stay ahead in a fast-moving digital landscape.”
By combining structured learning with real-world experience, the partnership between Velocity Academy and Rochdale Council demonstrates how apprenticeships can become a powerful driver of innovation, workforce development, and long-term digital transformation.
At Velocity Academy, we believe the future of digital transformation depends on developing talent from within.
Our partnership with Rochdale Council showcases how organisations can simultaneously address skills shortages, modernise services, and create meaningful career pathways for the next generation of digital professionals.
As AI, automation, and cyber security continue reshaping the public sector, programmes like this will play a critical role in ensuring councils have the skills, resilience, and innovation needed to serve their communities effectively for years to come.
I have loved every part of my Marketing apprenticeship with Velocity Academy. Paired with hands on experience at JCB, a leading construction and agricultural equipment manufacture and the outmatched guidance from the Velocity team, I achieved a distinction for this course.
We have chosen to continue, and expand, our partnership with Velocity Academy due to outstanding working relationship we’ve built together. From the very beginning, Velocity have shown exceptional flexibility in accommodating our evolving requirements, often going above and beyond to tailor their delivery to our operational needs, always putting the wellbeing of the learners first. Velocity Academy have delivered consistent quality in both teaching and customer services (namely Lee and Emma) making them a trusted partner in delivering apprenticeships to our employees.
My experience with Graham at Velocity Academy has been nothing short of exceptional. His professionalism, expertise, and commitment to finding the right apprentices have been very impressive.
Once the candidates were selected, the transition to getting them on board was remarkably quick and seamless. Graham efficiently handled all the necessary paperwork and administrative tasks, making the onboarding process hassle-free.
I would recommend their services to anyone in search of apprentices who will make a positive impact on their business. Our apprentices are excelling in their roles and continuously developing their skills.
Velocity Academy sourced a fantastic Apprentice Developer on our behalf and we couldn’t have been happier with the service. Regular check-ins, guidance and support from the start and genuine care were put into the recruitment process from Velocity, which meant they came up trumps with a cracking candidate. They have been outstanding. Thanks Velocity!
