We know that having skilled, trained business analysts on your team who understand your business is crucial to business success. Rather than hiring qualified professionals from outside the company, it has recently become a common practice for organisations to upskill their existing staff.

However, the process of training your staff can easily seem overcomplicated when there are multiple training routes out there to choose from and so, it can be exhausting for managers to extensively research and narrow down to the right option for their team. Fear not, we want to ease this struggle and reduce the stress that comes with organising formal training for your staff – in this article, we will cover the two well-known paths to getting certified as a business analyst and which would be best for your team.

Firstly, what is the business analysis diploma?

The Diploma in Business Analysis was developed by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT and has become the widely recognised qualification for professionals wanting to become a business analyst or looking to get accredited. It’s becoming expected for all professionals working in the industry to hold this qualification, so whether your staff are new to the sector or have years of experience this course is something they can’t do without.

The BCS diploma in business analysis consists of one foundation and three practitioner qualifications followed by an oral exam. Each qualification stands alone and, in various combinations, leads to the International BCS Diploma in Business Analysis.

Advantages of getting your staff qualified with the BA Diploma:

• The Diploma is recognised by employers and leaders in the industry. Your team will know the best practices, methods and tools used in the industry.
• Stakeholders and clients will trust your staff with the analysis and be more willing to engage with them.
• Staff taking time off work to develop their skills can lead to increase job satisfaction and increase their confidence level.

More information on the BA Diploma 

So then, what is the business analyst apprenticeship?

We understand that, as a manager who values learning, a limited training budget can make it difficult or even impossible to build talent to deliver business change. This is where the option of an apprenticeship comes in handy.

The IS Business Analyst Apprenticeship is a level 4 apprenticeship spanning over 13 -18 months with 20% off-the-job training. The programme aims to help apprentices develop business analysis skills. The best part is it includes the BCS BA Diploma and Agile qualifications.

If your staff are new to business analysis and your company is paying the apprenticeship levy, then we recommend that the Business Analyst Apprenticeship Programme is a better option for professional training.

Low Cost Training

The Apprenticeship Levy is a levy on UK employers to fund apprenticeships and help their staff up-skill. The new apprenticeship standard was introduced in April 2017 and the aim is to address the skill gaps and the low productivity in the UK. If your organisation has an annual wage bill of over £3 million then you are paying a 0.5% levy as part of your PAYE tax bill. This money goes to a digital account that your organisation can use to fund apprenticeships.

Even if your organisation is already spending to the limit of their levy pot remember that the employer only contributes 5% of the cost of additional apprenticeships and the government contributes a further 95%.

Advantages of getting your staff qualified with the BA Apprenticeship:

• The levy pays for all or 95% of the BA Apprenticeship
• Managers don’t need to fight or wait months to get an approved training budget to upskill their team. All they need to do is enrol their team on the BA Apprenticeship.
• The BCS Business Analysis Diploma is included in the programme as well as Agile certification
• Apprentices will get a BA expert mentor to learn how to apply the theory in practice which they won’t get with the Diploma

There are thousands of apprenticeship providers out there but if you are looking for expert trainers with experience in business analysis who will care and guide your apprentices to success then let’s have a chat.

Note: Metadata Training now work with non-levy providers to upskill their staff in business analysis.