Government Digital and Data Profession

The Civil Service’s Government Digital and Data Profession is UK-wide and consists of around 24,000+ civil servants. It is led by the Government Digital Service (GDS). We put the right conditions in place to achieve the digital transformation of government. Our vision 2025 is to achieve a transformed, more efficient government that provides better outcomes for everyone. To do this GDS recognises the importance of ensuring the right pathways, frameworks and learning is in place to ensure the Government Digital and Data profession is able to thrive. In an increasingly challenging external environment, the Civil Service will need to work smarter and faster to deliver great services to the public, and to deliver policies with greater precision and impact. Only through leveraging the power of digital and data can we do that.

GDS has responsibility:

  • to lead government’s Digital and Data Function
  • to set the strategic direction for government on Digital and Data
  • to set Government Digital and Data Strategy and Standards, like the Technology Code of Practice, the Service Standard and Open Standards
  • for cross-government Digital and Data performance and assurance, including Spend Controls
  • to lead capability development, including the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework.

The current Learning Frameworks contract is ending on 30 April 2026. This change will impact when you can book learning linked to our Professions pages. To support you with this transition, any courses impacted by the change will display a notice.

The final date for bookings is 30 April 2026, with learning required to start by 31 July 2026 and finish by 31 January 2027. After this deadline, new bookings will resume after the new contract starts.

These changes are happening across a series of waves and more information can be found here. The products in Wave 1 will not be available to book from 30 June 2025, and products in Wave 2 will not be available to book from 1 November 2025. The products in Wave 3 will need to start by 30 April 2026 and therefore we recommend bookings are made six weeks before this, by 19 March 2026.