University of Southampton expands Multiverse AI and data apprenticeships to 150 more staff

The expansion follows a pilot that saw staff reduce reporting time, cut room inspection failures, and build Power BI dashboards that improved student engagement monitoring across the university.

The University of Southampton has expanded its Multiverse AI and data apprenticeship program to a cohort of 150 staff, following a pilot that delivered measurable improvements across university operations including reduced reporting time and improved student engagement monitoring.

The University of Southampton has enrolled an additional 150 staff into AI and data apprenticeships with Multiverse, marking the university's largest training cohort to date.

The expansion follows a pilot program that produced measurable operational improvements across the institution, including reduced admin bottlenecks, faster reporting, and a new process tracker that addressed room inspection failures. Staff have enrolled across four Multiverse programs spanning AI productivity, data analysis, and predictive modeling.

The announcement follows Multiverse ramping up hiring as AI demand grows, amid scrutiny over reported apprenticeship outcomes.

Four programs, from AI productivity to data fellowship

Staff have enrolled into one of four Multiverse courses. The Level 3 AI-Powered Productivity and Level 4 AI for Business Value programs focus on ethical and effective AI tool adoption, including Microsoft 365 Copilot, and are designed to help teams integrate AI into everyday workflows. The Level 3 Data and Insights for Business Decisions and Level 4 Data Fellowship programs cover data handling and automation in Excel, Power BI, and Tableau, and introduce staff to predictive and statistical modeling for hands-on operational challenges.

Andrew Atherton, VP International and Engagement and Digital Strategy Sponsor at the University of Southampton, says: "Multiverse's training programmes have shown what's possible when staff are given the tools and confidence to apply digital thinking to their work. Having secured significant results already, we're excited to equip even more of our people with robust skills in AI and data, helping us to deliver even better services for students and increase job satisfaction for employees."

Gary Eimerman, Chief Learning Officer at Multiverse, says: "It's fantastic to see the impact that Multiverse training has already had on the University of Southampton, whether it's fewer room inspection failures or reduced reporting time. Expanding the training will give more staff the opportunity to innovate in their roles, creating a shared digital culture across the University."

Pilot results that drove the expansion decision

The decision to scale was driven directly by outcomes from the initial cohort. One staff member mitigated room inspection failures by introducing clearer data processes and a new tracking system. Another significantly reduced reporting time through improved data workflows. A third developed a Power BI dashboard that led to a measurable reduction in student engagement monitoring issues. The university cited these results as evidence of demand for digital skills across the organization and the value of embedding training within live operational contexts.

The University of Southampton's 150-strong cohort is its largest to date with the provider, and positions the institution among the more substantial higher education customers on Multiverse's books at a moment when the company is simultaneously expanding its workforce and navigating increased scrutiny over reported sector-wide apprenticeship completion rates.