Government Digital Service expands public sector AI training programme

The Government Digital Service (GDS) outlined expansion of its public sector AI training programme as it praised the ‘real impact’ of the course on its first anniversary.

The AI Accelerator programme seeks to equip existing staff from a range of government departments and public sector organisations with AI and machine learning skills to prepare them for priority technical roles. This forms part of the government’s broader strategy to increase AI adoption in the Civil Service.

While the programme initially focused on cross-government cohorts, demand from a number of departments led the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to offer self-funded departmental cohorts, said Ruth Panin, Delivery Manager, Government Digital and Data Profession, in a blog post.

Since the programme’s inception in March 2025, it has been completed by two cross-government cohorts, comprising 49 civil servants. For their final project, the most recent cohort presented work related to the themes of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), Chatbots, large language models (LLMs), and Machine Learning.

Panin said that the programme demonstrates the effectiveness of blending "practical learning with strategic support".

She said: “The most recent cohort’s graduation not only celebrated achievement, but demonstrated what departments can accomplish when they invest in skills, collaboration, and innovation.”

“One participant mentioned that this was ‘one of the most rewarding learning experiences since I've joined the Civil Service’”.

Emran Mian, Permanent Secretary of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and Kalbir Sohi, Chief AI Officer at GDS, attended the final project presentations of the second cohort, leading a discussion on the importance of ‘practical engagement with technology’, ‘challenging established ways of working’, and ensuring fruitful conditions for practical learning.

Since the creation of the programme, the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency has also produced a self-funded cohort, being the first department to do so. This project included a pilot for the Data Analyst to Data Scientist pathway.

A selection of pathways are provided, including Data Analyst to Data Scientist, Data Scientist to AI Accelerator and AI Accelerator for Engineers.

Featured Image Credit: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology