The manifesto
Why we build Ignite
We are not building an ordinary trainee program. We are building the consultant program we believe the market actually lacks.
Traditional trainee paths teach young graduates to become versions of the seniors they work under. To write Java. To facilitate Scrum. To deliver standard projects. That's fine — but it is not what the market needs in 2026.
The market needs consultants who can build agentic systems that run in production. Who can tell a CFO what the solution costs and what it is worth. Who can classify an AI system under the EU AI Act before the code is written. Who can get a pilot actually adopted by users.
These skills aren't taught at university. They exist sporadically across large consultancies. They exist nowhere as a cohesive, structured program.
That's why we build Ignite.
What we've decided
- 01
Production, not prototypes
Every delivery has evals, observability, cost model and adoption measurement. Demo level isn't enough.
- 02
One stamp that means something
Ignite Certified Consultant is a single tier. No 'gold/silver'. You're in or you're out.
- 03
Three profiles that mirror the market
Builder, Tuner, Shaper — not our internal units, but the three roles the market actually buys.
- 04
Regulatory-native from day one
The EU AI Act isn't optional. Every Igniter graduates with their own documentation templates.
- 05
Honest about what we don't know
Cohort 01 is the experiment. We know what we want it to become. We also know the year will be adjusted along the way. We stand by that.
We build this because we would have wanted to attend ten years ago. We believe it's possible to build a better kind of consultant. It is Ignite's job to prove it.
—
Program lead, Ignite 2026/2027