Jen Henderson has been appointed as the new Head of Professional Learning and Education Programmes at The Data Lab, joining the organisation this month. In her new role, Ms Henderson will lead the development and delivery of professional learning and education programmes aimed at building workforce skills, confidence, and organisational capability to effectively adopt and apply data and AI.
Before her appointment at The Data Lab, Ms Henderson served for nearly five years as Head of Talent Partnerships at Heriot-Watt University. There, she led a team focused on engaging with employers across key sectors, ranging from multinational organisations to SMEs, as well as industry bodies and academic colleagues. Her responsibilities included understanding workforce and skills needs, enhancing employer engagement, and developing work-based learning programmes to meet changing industry demands.
Earlier in her career, Ms Henderson established and led Developing the Young Workforce Forth Valley, where she successfully built more than 600 employer–education partnerships. This initiative was designed to create clearer pathways for young people to progress into further learning, apprenticeships, and employment. Prior to her career in skills and education, she also led the development and delivery of local, regional, and national sports and physical activity initiatives. Additionally, Ms Henderson is a board member of College Development Network, Scotland’s national development and enhancement agency for colleges, which supports collaboration and innovation within the college sector.
The Data Lab’s vision is to foster a more prosperous and equitable society where the responsible use of data and AI empowers everyone to thrive. Its education programmes have already upskilled 1,600 learners through the Data Skills for Work initiative. The organisation has also supported over 1,200 Masters students through scholarship funding, with more than half of these students undertaking industry placements. In 2025, The Data Lab published The Data and AI Skills Framework and Whitepaper, offering strategic insight and practical guidance to help organisations and individuals thrive in the data and AI economy.
In Case You Missed It:
ACCA pass rates underline the hard road to professional success
Scottish Enterprise backs £3.18m fintech lab projecting 6:1 return and £28m in private investment
Iceland’s Farice to Land New Transatlantic Cable in Scotland, Boosting Nordic-European Data Corridor
DataVita secures £300m for Lanarkshire AI data centres, six weeks after Guardian questioned power plans
Commenting on her new role, Jen Henderson, Head of Professional Learning and Education Programmes at The Data Lab, said: “I’m excited to step into this role to lead The Data Lab’s professional learning and education programmes, to help build the skills and capability Scotland needs for a fast-moving data and AI landscape. As someone who switched from sports to education mid-career, I know the importance of offering a variety of pathways to upskilling and reskilling. Keeping pace with the growing demand for data and AI expertise across all sectors, we want to ensure no one is left behind in the rapidly changing world of work.”
Ms Henderson added: “I’m looking forward to working with the team, our partners, stakeholders, and community to explore where we can make the biggest difference across data and AI skills in Scotland.”
