Grant Thornton invests £1 million in data and digital mindset training
Grant Thornton has announced it is investing £1 million in a new business transformation programme hosted by the Data Literacy Academy. The programme will be open to Grant Thornton’s staff, in a bid to help them develop a “data-driven, digital mindset”.
Alan Dale, head of data, digital and technology at Grant Thornton UK, commented, “While data fluency and digital capabilities are nothing new for our people, significantly upskilling our teams both at senior and more junior levels with the latest thinking and trends in this fast-moving space will enable us to stay at the cutting-edge of our profession. Our commitment to continued investment in data and digital, and ensuring our people are at the vanguard of technological advancement in our sector, gives us a unique opportunity to reflect on how we work in a way that is better for our people, our clients and our firm.”
The news sees Grant Thornton partner with the Data Literacy Academy, a UK-based data education company founded in 2022 by CEO Greg Freeman. So far, the Data Literacy Academy has worked with enterprise organisations including Aer Lingus, Bentley Motors, BAE Systems, and Sony Music Publishing, to deliver best-in-class data literacy education that empowers individuals and drives real organisational impact by aligning education delivery with business goals. However, this is the first time it has partnered with a consultancy.
The resulting 3D (Data-Driven Digital mindset) training programme will consist of a series of bespoke learning modules, covering diverse areas such as data leadership, foundations of data and digital skills of the future, amongst others; underpinned by both theoretical and practical courses delivered over several months. Open to Grant Thornton’s UK people, a release from the firm suggests that the programme differs from a traditional data training programme, as instead of emphasising data analysis skills, it will equip its people with the ability to “approach every opportunity and challenge through an innovative, data-driven digital perspective”.
Looking ahead, Grant Thornton hopes that by fostering the digital mindsets of colleagues at both entry and leadership levels, it will “rapidly accelerate its data and digital momentum and culture across teams, driving significant improvements to how colleagues work with one another”.
Greg Freeman, founder and CEO of Data Literacy Academy added, “Our partnership with Grant Thornton has already been an unbelievable journey, and its senior leaders are doing something really bold here. They’re buying into a critical business enabler while putting their people at the heart of it, because tech and data-enabled people drive change. The Grant Thornton team understands that data literacy, and the cultural shift it brings, will be a catalyst for their data and digital-led approach – unlocking the success of the firm for today and well into the future. I can’t wait to see the incredible impact that the programme will have on Grant Thornton’s people, culture, customers and the future of accountancy.”
