How to become
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- a graduate training scheme
University
You'll usually need a degree or postgraduate qualification in:
- statistics
- mathematics
- economics
- operational research
- psychology
You may be able to apply for jobs if you have a degree in a subject that included statistics as part of your course, for example social science or geography.
Courses that give you the chance to spend a year in industry or get work experience through placements, internships or real business projects may give you an advantage when you are looking for graduate jobs.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including maths
- a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
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College
You may be able to start in a junior position after completing a college course. Relevant courses include:
- maths
- statistics
- computing
- economics
- T level in Digital Data Analytics
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
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Apprenticeship
You could apply for an apprenticeship to get a trainee position, such as:
- Software and Data Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship
- Data Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
- Data Analyst Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
- Data Scientist Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship
If you want to work in health data analysis, you may be able to do a Medical Statistician Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship.
Foundation apprenticeship
You can apply for a foundation apprenticeship if you're aged 16 to 21.
If you're aged 22 to 24, you can apply if you:
- have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
- are in care or have been in care
- are in prison or have been in prison
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- no specific qualifications or experience to apply for a foundation apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
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Volunteering
You can develop your professional skills and gain real work experience by helping community organisations and charities. For example, through schemes run by the Royal Statistical Society.
Other Routes
You can apply to join the Government Statistical Service (GSS) as a graduate trainee through the Civil Service Fast Stream programme. You'll need a good degree or postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject, such as statistics, maths or economics.
The GSS also directly recruits graduates and people with relevant experience into positions like statistical officer.
Real career story
You can learn about Tamish’s career journey on the Analysis Function website.
Maths degree and first job
“I graduated from university with a degree in maths and got a summer job straightaway working as a tax associate for an accounting firm. This then became a full time role. After almost 3 years, I felt I needed a new challenge that would build on the analytical skills from my degree.”
Finance analyst
“At this point, there was an organisation restructure which forced me to change jobs. I joined a food manufacturing company in their finance team as an analyst. During this time, I also looked into training routes to become a qualified data analyst.”
Data analyst apprenticeship
“I applied for a Data Analyst Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship to bridge the gap between my degree in maths and my interest in data analysis.”
Data analyst
“I completed the apprenticeship and continued my role as a data analyst. I have had lots of opportunities to experience different topic areas and engage with several different stakeholders across government.”
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Career tips
Skills in data analysis and statistics can be used in many areas of work. For instance, you might:
- use statistical software to analyse risk in banking and insurance
- investigate market research into consumer habits
- analyse results from clinical trials
- create models to predict demand for services or goods
- check quality control standards in drug and food testing
Further information
You can discover more about careers in data and statistics from the Royal Statistical Society.