As a company, we are always eager to help our team grow, develop and enhance their existing skillset. And ongoing learning is a key part of that.

So, with this in mind, we are delighted to announce that two of the Acumentice team will be carrying out apprenticeships with the Multiverse platform in partnership with Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) scheme.

Abigail Smith, a business analyst who joined us in March 2022 while still carrying out her university degree, is doing a course in data fellowship, which aims to develop her analytical skills with coding software and Excel/Power BI. The apprenticeship is set to end in early 2024.

Abigail said the course has already helped her to improve her time management skills, with the course coaches giving good advice and helping to adjust things when needed.

“The content makes the working day feel more active as you are continuously thinking about the learning, while the group events/seminars are really useful to build a sense of community and to get to know others on the course,” she added.

Meanwhile, Fizza Hassan – who joined us as a product manager in August 2022 after more than five years’ experience in a fast-paced scale-up – is undertaking a 13-month apprenticeship in Business Transformation.

The course is focused on developing business transformation skills, with a particular spotlight on digital transformation – something that is becoming ever-more important in all industries, none more so than healthcare.

“Multiverse uses innovative methods on its online platform to engage its students, but also provides a good balance of engagement with real people, giving you an overall great blended learning experience. The business transformation course looks at building data-driven cases to deliver strategic initiatives with an agile mindset and drive change in an evolving digital workplace,” she explained.

The apprenticeships are part of the inaugural Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses & Multiverse Accelerator partnership, which was formally launched on Tuesday 31 January at Goldman Sachs’ London HQ.

“In launching this partnership, it has been a privilege to spend time not only with 10KSB alumni, but also with the extraordinary individuals that make up their teams. It could not be clearer that a spirit of ambition, innovation and growth exists at every level, and we have the highest confidence that this fully-funded apprenticeship offering will prove immensely beneficial to your growth journeys, both as individuals and as businesses,” Goldman Sachs and Multiverse jointly stated.

Abigail, Fizza and our managing director, Karina Malhotra – herself an alumni of the Goldman Sachs 10KSB programme, which she graduated from at the end of last year – all attended the event, which included distinguished speakers from Goldman Sachs and Multiverse followed by a brilliant networking reception, where we were able to make a number of inspiring connections.

One of the speakers was Euan Blair, son of former PM Tony and founder of Multiverse, who talked passionately and articulately about his impressive vision for the platform and how it is trying to disrupt the traditional education market. To do this, he is aiming to give much better access to ongoing career education for those who may otherwise be marginalised.

Following this, Karina took part in a Q&A panel discussion with Charlotte Keenan (from Goldman Sachs) and Caspar Rose (CEO of Fresh Fitness Food and another former 10KSB alumni) on the importance of upskilling employees.

Karina said: “We are growing at a rapid pace and are so grateful that Goldman Sachs and the 10KSB programme continue to enable this, even post the programme! By giving us access to this excellent initiative with Multiverse, we are now able to offer amazing professional development programmes for our key people. Multiverse’s programmes are truly curated for the current world of work and the community they have created is impressive.”

She added: “I am really excited to see Abigail & Fizza grow as individuals and professionals in their field as well as help lay strong foundations for the future of Acumentice.”

‍What is Multiverse?

Euan Blair first founded the tech start-up in 2016 and, in 2021, it broke the record for the UK’s largest ever EdTech venture round. Multiverse’s main mission is to create a diverse group of future leaders, which it aims to achieve by offering high-quality apprenticeship programmes ‘that combine work, training and community’.

Since it was established, Multiverse has trained more than 5,000 apprentices in partnership with over 200 of the world’s best employers, with programmes ranging from business operations to data science to equip people with the skills needed for the future. It expanded globally in 2021 by launching in the US.