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Machine Learning and AI

The machine learning and AI sector in the UK is a rapidly growing and strategically important part of the economy. The UK is aiming to be regarded as a global leader in AI research and development, with strong academic institutions, many start ups and significant government support. The UK government has invested heavily in AI through initiatives like the AI Sector Deal, which is aiming to ‘harness this technology to transform how we diagnose diseases, manufacture gods and build homes… 

The Alan Turing Institute, another leading body is undertaking research programmes to explore AI including its applications in society and joining together the power of industry with academic networks.  The Office for Artificial Intelligence, aims to boost innovation, research, and responsible use and adoption through shaping research, providing grants and policy consultations and papers. 

AI and machine learning infiltrate all areas of our lives now; self-driving cars were the stuff of science fiction just a few short years ago!  This exciting area of rapid development offers a really exciting and interesting set of careers from technologically focused roles to those involved with ethics and best practise.  This work area faces the challenge of skills shortages and global competition, but ongoing investment from the UK government means we are set to remain competitive in the global landscape. 

The following role profile on the Prospects website will help inform you of the day-to-day responsibilities in graduate level roles and will help inform the kinds of skills, experience and knowledge needed:  Machine Learning Engineer

You may be interested to watch this recording on Panopto of an University of Exeter alumni panel on ‘Careers in Data and AI’ recorded in January 2025 and this recording from February 2024

This is a helpful blog offering AI industry insights from Artificial Intelligence Jobs, a specialist jobs board.

Skills employers look for

Different employers in different roles will of course be seeking a varied skills set to suit the roles in which they are looking to appoint.  Technical roles will require technical skills of course, but for those roles involved in policy development and research, a really good understanding of the sector, the investments and challenges understood from detailed research will show a passion for the industry. 

For technical roles, the following skills are sought after in the graduate job market:

  • AI Concepts: Knowledge of supervised and unsupervised learning, deep learning, natural language processing (NLP), and computer vision.
  • Cloud Platforms: Familiarity with AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure for deploying models and managing infrastructure.
  • Data Handling: Skills in data wrangling, cleaning, and analysis using tools such as Pandas and SQL.
  • Machine Learning Frameworks: Experience with tools like TensorFlow, PyTorch, Scikit-learn, and Keras.
  • Mathematics & Statistics: Strong understanding of linear algebra, probability, calculus, and statistical modelling.
  • Programming: Python is essential; R, Java, and C++ are also valuable.

In order to develop these skills, remember Career Zone also offers a range of Personal and Professional Development sessions which are available to book on Handshake and run at least once per term.  Please also read through the sections about Gaining Experience and Further Study and Professional Development to discover how you can develop your skills through experience and by gaining further knowledge or qualifications. 

Gaining Experience

All experiences ranging from volunteering, active involvement in clubs/societies can help you to develop relevant and transferable skills. You may wish to consider involvement in:

These Exeter Students' Guild societies (available on the Exeter campuses) could offer an excellent way to demonstrate an interest in this work area. 

Data Science Society – this society welcomed speakers from fantastic industry leading bodies and focus on many of the skills which are needed in this work area. 

There are no current societies on the Cornwall campuses which relate to machine learning or AI, but you can start one!

The following platforms offer, often free, relevant courses in skills such as coding and programming which can be very useful for adding to your CV and for gaining confidence:

  • EdX offers a range of course in artificial intelligence
  • Coursera free course options include topics like Python, Java and SQL to name a few as well as data analytics and AI related opportunities.  
  • In this Indeed page, there are numerous links to various training courses you can do (many for free) to develop the skills we have outlined above.
  • This page on Prospects.ac.uk lists an impressive series of organisations offering Tech related internships, including in artificial intelligence.

University of Exeter Employability Schemes

Career Zone Internship schemes: Internships can be extremely useful, so try and get relevant vacation work or placements

Exeter Award :The Exeter Award will help you stand out from the crowd and give you the confidence to shout about the experiences you've had at university

Speculative applications and voluntary opportunities

Undertaking relevant work experience will also allow you to develop new skills and gain a valuable insight into the sector. As jobs and opportunities are not always advertised, it can be useful to develop your networking skills and apply speculatively. You may find it useful to read our Researching employers page.  We suggest that you consider a targeted approach and look at local employers to approach.  You can research and identify local companies online.  Also, members of Tech South West and Tech Cornwall will potentially be good places to start.  These are the sector leading Technology networks based in the South West. 

Finding part time work

Finding advertised graduate roles, placements and internships

Competition can be strong, especially for entry-level positions. Use the following resources to find advertised vacancies and research employers.  For general information about finding graduate opportunities, please visit our Graduate Jobs page.

Graduate schemes and internships

Placements

If you are interested in finding out more about work placements, you can also access the Work Placements SharePoint via Single Sign-On. This resource covers all aspects of credit-bearing work experiences as part of your degree, including what a placement is, how to apply for them, and bespoke information for international students or those interested in working abroad. 

  • Here is a list of Industrial Placements in development on offer via Bright Network
  • Companies can offer a Year in industry – it’s worth looking at Prospects.

Further sources of support

If you are an international student, visit our international webpages for help finding opportunities both in the UK and globally.

To find opportunities outside the UK use GoinGlobal.

Further study and professional development

Some individuals decide to undertake further study to build their skills and knowledge of the sector and related occupations. Not all roles or employers will require this, so it is important to research entry requirements and employer preferences before committing to additional training or qualifications. 

There are several postgraduate degrees in machine learning and AI:

  • Here is a list of machine learning focused masters courses available in the UK, listed by Find a Masters
  • Here is a list of AI focused masters courses available in the UK, listed by Find a Masters
  • You can also use this platform to search masters courses worldwide

Advice

If you are considering postgraduate or doctoral level study before entering your chosen sector, please visit our Postgraduate Study page for more information about choosing further study.

Other professional development and training:

  • The Alan Turing institute offers a range of specialist courses in AI and machine learning
  • HeadForwards Digital Academy is a privately led digital skills training bootcamp, offering skills development in software development, including Agile development, Bootstrap, Django, JavaScript and more. Claiming to take students from no skills to junior developer within 16 weeks, this skills academy supports the fast-growing tech sector in Cornwall.

Qualifications valued by UK employers:

It is important, before embarking on and investing in paid-for training, to understand what is most needed by your target employers and also for your target work area.  Informational interviews and career conversations will be really useful to discover your best options and goals.  In addition many employers will pay for professional training and required certifications once you start working for them if they are valued. 

There is a huge range of course options available to learn new skills in specific areas.  Too many to list here.  Some paid for and some free.  If you’re interested in free training options, look at the ‘Gaining experience concertina’ for a list of useful links.  If you’re looking for something accredited by a professional body, we recommend looking into options from:

Information and links from professional bodies

If you have studied a related degree, check if your course is accredited by a professional body. Being a member of a professional body is voluntary; however, it can be valuable for developing networks, continuing your professional development, and generally keeping up to date with what's happening in the sector. 

Government-Backed Initiatives