NatWest invests $1mn in new UK data academy

UK bank NatWest is planning to open up a data academy worth £1mn, which will cater to the company’s 700,000 staff.

The bank’s aim for this year is to train 1,000 staff on how to understand and harness data. This will include its entire executive team. The academy is set to offer courses and qualifications including some professional accreditations.

Topics to be covered at the academy include data fundamentals, data science, data architecture and data engineering, as well as governance and ethics.

According to parent company RBS, the academy compliments the existing data innovation research until which is located at Edinburgh University. It was also noted that NatWest is the first UK bank to open such a facility.

Frank Meere, Director of Data at Natwest, was “thrilled” about the opening. “This is another important step towards building a bank that gives our staff the tools to innovate and create services and products that out customers really value,” he said.