ReAct+ funded, 5-day course

Data Engineering for AI course
the pipelines AI depends on.

A five-day, hands-on course in Cardiff or live online. If you live in Wales and have been made redundant or are under notice, the Welsh Government's ReAct+ grant can pay the full £1,500 fee.

Ask about a funded place → How funding works
Duration
5 days
Level
Beginner to intermediate
Format
Cardiff or online
Course fee
£1,500
Your course, costed
Data Engineering for AI, 5 days£1,500
ReAct+ vocational training grant−£1,500
You pay£0

When your grant is approved before the course starts. ReAct+ can also help with travel and childcare costs while you train.

// About the course

What the course covers.

AI projects succeed or fail on their data. Data engineers build the pipelines that collect, clean and move that data so analysts and AI systems can trust it. Demand for these skills is growing across Wales and the UK.

This course covers SQL, Python pipelines, scheduling and data quality, then shows how to prepare documents and data for AI, including embeddings and vector databases.

  • SQL
  • PostgreSQL
  • Python
  • dbt
  • Airflow
  • Vector databases
  • Data quality tests

Who it's for

  • Analysts and report writers who want to move into engineering
  • Career changers with strong spreadsheet skills
  • Developers who want to specialise in data

Before you start

Comfortable with spreadsheets. Some Python helps but is not essential.

// Outcomes

By Friday, you'll be able to

  • Write SQL to query, join and aggregate data
  • Design simple, reliable data models
  • Build extract, transform and load pipelines in Python
  • Schedule pipelines and test data quality
  • Prepare documents and embeddings for AI search
  • Apply UK GDPR and access controls to data
// Course outline

Five days, day by day.

Each day mixes short explanations with hands-on labs. Day five is for finishing and presenting your project.

  1. Day 1

    SQL and data modelling

    • Querying with SELECT and JOIN
    • Aggregations and window functions
    • Tables, keys and relationships
    • Modelling for reporting
  2. Day 2

    Pipelines in Python

    • Extract, transform and load
    • Cleaning and validation
    • Working with APIs and files
    • Loading into PostgreSQL
  3. Day 3

    Running pipelines reliably

    • Transformations with dbt
    • Scheduling with Airflow
    • Data quality tests
    • Monitoring and alerts
  4. Day 4

    Data for AI

    • Preparing documents for AI
    • Embeddings and chunking
    • Vector databases
    • Keeping AI data fresh
  5. Day 5

    Governance and delivery

    • UK GDPR and data minimisation
    • Lineage and documentation
    • Access control
    • Project demo
Your portfolio project

A tested data pipeline

Pulls public data from an API, cleans and models it in PostgreSQL, runs quality checks on a schedule and feeds a small AI search index.

Roles this course prepares you for

  • Junior data engineer
  • Data analyst
  • BI developer
  • AI data specialist

What you leave with

A working project in your own GitHub portfolio and an Apex Training Wales certificate of completion.

// ReAct+ funding

How to get your place fully funded.

ReAct+ is a Welsh Government grant for people affected by redundancy. Your Working Wales adviser makes the application, and we give them the course details they need.

  1. Check you're eligible

    Aged 20 or over, living in Wales, with the right to work in the UK, and under notice of redundancy or made redundant in the last six months.

  2. Speak to Working Wales

    Call free on 0800 028 4844 or book an appointment online. Tell your adviser you'd like to take Data Engineering for AI.

  3. We send your course details

    Contact us and we'll provide the course outline and fee your adviser needs for your ReAct+ application.

  4. Start once approved

    When your grant is approved, we confirm your start date. The £1,500 fee is covered, so there's nothing to pay.

Eligibility and grant amounts from Working Wales. Final funding decisions are made by the Welsh Government.

// Common questions

About the course and the funding.

Is this course suitable if I've never coded?
Yes, if you are confident with spreadsheets. SQL is taught from scratch, and the Python on this course is kept practical and guided.
How is data engineering different from data science?
Data engineers build and run the systems that supply data. Data scientists analyse it and build models. Both are in demand, and engineering is often the easier route in.
Who is eligible for ReAct+ funding?
You must be aged 20 or over, live in Wales and have the right to live and work in the UK. You must also be under formal notice of redundancy, have been made redundant in the last six months, or be an ex-offender or serving a community sentence. A Working Wales adviser confirms your eligibility.
Will I have to pay anything?
The course fee is £1,500, which matches the maximum ReAct+ vocational training grant. If your grant is approved, the grant covers the full fee. Funding must be approved before your course starts.
Can ReAct+ help with travel or childcare?
It can. Alongside the training grant, ReAct+ can provide up to £200 towards costs such as travel and up to £2,100 towards childcare or caring costs while you train. Your Working Wales adviser will tell you what applies to you.
What if I'm not eligible for ReAct+?
You can still take the course. Contact us about paying for the course yourself. Employers can also book any of these courses in-house for their teams.
// Get started

Ready to retrain in AI? Let's check your funding.

Tell us which course you're interested in and your situation. We'll explain the next steps and send your adviser everything they need.

Ask about a funded place → info@apextrainingwales.co.uk