Data and Analytics Consultant — West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Architecture and build

West Yorkshire Combined Authority went to market for a Pilot Learner Destinations System (RFQ 111675). The pilot delivers a destinations survey and reporting platform for around 14,500 adult learners aged 19 and over across West Yorkshire. The delivery window runs from August 2026 to September 2027.

Architected the data platform for the bid as Data Platform Lead. The design helped win the tender. Then moved from design into delivery, responsible for building the platform.

The design is a Microsoft Fabric medallion architecture.

• Data Pipelines ingest survey responses from the Snap API together with Individualised Learner Record data into a Bronze Lakehouse.
• Silver cleans and conforms the data.
• The Gold Lakehouse makes the data available as a dimensional model.
• A data model in the separate reporting workspace applies row level security, so each training provider sees only its own learners' data.
• The Power BI dashboard reports over this model.

The pipeline pseudonymises responses as it ingests them, so learner-identifiable data never leaves the secure survey platform.

Cost-engineered the design for a public sector pilot using a pay-as-you-go Fabric F2 capacity.

• Left running 24/7 the capacity would cost £200 to £220 a month.
• An Azure Automation schedule resumes the capacity just before the nightly ETL and pauses it as soon as processing completes.
• The capacity runs for around an hour a night at £8 to £10 a month.
• Azure Automation and OneLake storage add around £1 each.
• The entire platform runs at £10 to £12 a month, a saving of roughly 95 per cent.
• Reporting sits on shared Power BI Pro capacity through an import semantic model, so dashboards stay available all day while the capacity is paused.

The same cost discipline scales to a 45,000 learner rollout.

Building the platform with AI-assisted delivery, using Claude Code against source-controlled Fabric items.

• Architected the data platform that helped win the tender for WYCA's Pilot Learner Destinations System. The pilot covers around 14,500 adult learners. Took responsibility for the build as Data Platform Lead.Corefabricarchitectureleadershipstrategy
• Designed a Microsoft Fabric medallion architecture. Data Pipelines ingest the Snap survey API and Individualised Learner Record sources into a Bronze Lakehouse. Silver cleans and conforms the data. The Gold Lakehouse presents a dimensional model. A data model in the dedicated reporting workspace applies row level security, so each training provider sees only its own learners. The Power BI dashboard reports over this model. Learner-identifiable data never leaves the secure survey platform.Coremedallionfabricarchitecturesecuritypower-bi
• Cost-engineered the Fabric platform to £10 to £12 a month against £200 to £220 for an always-on capacity, roughly a 95 per cent saving. Azure Automation resumes the pay-as-you-go F2 capacity for the nightly ETL and pauses it after. An import semantic model on shared Power BI Pro capacity keeps dashboards available all day. The same cost discipline scales to a 45,000 learner rollout.Corefabricazurearchitecturestrategy
• Building the platform with AI-assisted delivery, using Claude Code against source-controlled Fabric items.Coreaifabric
• Authored the Data and Analytics sections of the tender submission, including architecture, hosting design and indicative running costs.Supportingstrategybusiness-analysis

Microsoft Fabric (Lakehouses, Data Pipelines), Power BI, row level security, Azure Automation, Snap survey platform API, Claude Code.

For interview walkthroughs only. Not for the rendered CV or public distribution.

• Dataflow — the end to end flow from learner response to dashboard, including the pseudonymisation boundary.
• Data Platform Architecture — the submitted architecture, the two-workspace hosting design and the £10 to £12 a month cost breakdown.

Matthew's confirmation of the freelance arrangement (6 October 2026), the LinkedIn experience capture of 5 October 2026, and the WYCA project documentation in Claude Compass (Tender Summary, Data Platform Architecture and linked pages).