Transforming Healthcare Tech Talent: How Dedalus Scaled Its Team with Apprenticeships
Dedalus, a global leader in healthcare technology, expanded its UK team through government-funded apprenticeships. By partnering with The Coders Guild, they identified and trained top-tier talent, enhancing their workforce while reducing hiring costs.
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20+ Apprentices Trained
Increased Retention Through Career Progression
Enhanced Knowledge-Sharing and Collaboration
Dedalus is one of the largest healthcare tech companies in the world, developing solutions like OneResponse, used by Northwest Ambulance, and PatientAide, live at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust.
As demand for their software solutions grew, they needed to scale their UK team—without the high costs and risks of traditional hiring.
By partnering with The Coders Guild and leveraging government-funded apprenticeships, Dedalus built a future-ready workforce while supporting professionals transitioning into tech careers.
With fully funded training, they:
- Brought in diverse talent from non-traditional backgrounds
- Developed highly skilled software engineers and testers
- Retained top talent through structured career progression
- Strengthened their development and testing teams
Here’s how they did it.
The Challenge: Scaling a Specialist Team Cost-Effectively
In 2021, Dedalus' UK team consisted of just five members. Having recently secured a major project with Northwest Ambulance, they saw an opportunity to expand further, particularly in West Yorkshire.
However, software development is an expensive field to recruit for, and hiring the wrong people can be costly. Traditional recruitment approaches often limited them to computing graduates, missing out on high-potential candidates from other backgrounds.
The challenge was clear:
- Scale the team rapidly without excessive recruitment costs
- Find high-quality candidates with the aptitude for healthcare technology
- Increase diversity within the workforce
- Improve staff retention and career development opportunities
The Solution: Government-Funded Apprenticeships with The Coders Guild
To meet this challenge, Dedalus explored alternative hiring strategies and discovered The Coders Guild. With expertise in digital apprenticeships and a strong track record in sourcing high-potential candidates, they became the perfect partner.
Through the Government Apprenticeship Scheme and The Coders Guild’s support, Dedalus:
- Secured funding for training via the Apprenticeship Levy
- Onboarded 20+ apprentices from diverse backgrounds, including former police officers and business developers
- Expanded their recruitment beyond computing graduates to find fresh talent
Rather than simply placing apprentices and stepping away, The Coders Guild worked closely with Dedalus to tailor training content, ensuring the program aligned with real-world business needs.
The Results: A Skilled, Future-Ready Team
Adapting Training for Real-World Impact
Dedalus immersed apprentices in live projects from day one, accelerating their learning far beyond traditional training timelines. The Coders Guild adapted quickly, adjusting their course content to match the complexity of real-world projects.
This dynamic approach ensured apprentices weren’t just learning the basics but were engaging with advanced development and testing processes from the outset.
Fast-Tracked Career Progression & Industry Recognition
The program proved so effective that Dedalus hired several apprentices outright before they had even completed their training. Their quality was further validated when three Dedalus apprentices were nominated for the prestigious British Computer Society Apprentice of the Year awards, with finalists in:
- Software Developer of the Year
- Software Tester of the Year
- Cloud Ops Apprentice of the Year
One apprentice even received a special commendation—highlighting the effectiveness of the partnership between Dedalus and The Coders Guild.
Long-Term Growth & Retention
By prioritising career development and structured progression, Dedalus successfully retained top talent. Many apprentices have since transitioned into full-time roles, helping define the culture and future of the company.
What they said about it!
See how our training has transformed businesses
The work my Digital Solutions team is doing in Leeds has been shaped significantly by the apprenticeship program. Many of the apprentices have now transitioned into full-time roles, and they’ve helped define the culture of our team and, in many ways, the business itself. The Coders Guild has been instrumental in helping us find and train the right talent. Our apprentices have become an integral part of the team, and we’re excited to continue this partnership in the future.
Mark Rearden