Apprenticeship · Finance for HR · Live 1:1

Read the P&L. Build the forecast.
Defend it in the room.

The finance skills HR is expected to have and nobody teaches: live, on HR data, with your progress reviewed every session. Live 1:1. Homework between sessions.

Format
Live 1:1
Duration
2 modules
Tools
Google Sheets
Output
Forecast + case
Why this exists

HR sits at the table where money decisions get made.
Most HR people can't read the numbers on it.

Gap · 01

The vocabulary gap

P&L, accrual, EBITDA, margin, runway. Finance speaks it fluently. HR nods along. Every explanation was written for finance people. This one isn't.

Gap · 02

The forecasting gap

Finance and HR spend weeks each year on headcount and people-cost forecasts. HR is expected to own the inputs but was never taught how to build the model — so the number gets made by someone else, and HR loses the argument before it starts.

Who it's for

Built for HR people who make decisions with money.

It plugs the finance gap every HR curriculum skipped. If you've never read a P&L, that's the point, not a problem.

HR decision-makers and senior HR leaders

Owning a budget, a headcount plan, or a seat at the finance table — without ever being taught the vocabulary.

HR practitioners at startups and NGOs

Asked to own headcount and people-cost numbers.

People analytics and HRBP roles

Partnering with FP&A and expected to hold their own.

I/O graduates

Who want the business side their programme skipped.

The Curriculum

Two modules. Homework after every session.

Live work in session, homework on real HR data, expert feedback every time.

Module 1 of 2
Read the business
Session 01

The P&L, top to bottom

Revenue, COGS, gross margin, opex, EBITDA, net income. Accrual vs cash — via the bonus earned in December and paid in March.

Session 02

The metrics leadership watches

Revenue per employee, people cost as % of revenue, EBITDA margin, burn and runway. Why a CFO says no to the hire HR thinks is obvious.

Session 03

How the budget cycle actually works

Annual planning, quarterly reforecast, headcount approvals, backfill vs net-new, why a req gets frozen in Q3.

Module 2 of 2
Build the forecast
Session 04

Headcount & people-cost model

Starting headcount, planned hires, attrition assumption, merit cycle, fully loaded cost.

Session 05

The business case

Cost of a regretted exit, cost of a backfill, ROI of an L&D programme, hire vs contract.

Session 06

Scenarios & the conversation with finance

Best / base / worst, variance to budget, and the one-page note to the CFO. Your forecast, reviewed line by line, the way finance would.

What you walk out with

What you'll have when it's over.

01 · Fluency

Read a P&L top to bottom

Find where every people cost sits, and follow a finance conversation without guessing.

02 · A forecast

A 12-month headcount and people-cost model

Built yourself, with best / base / worst scenarios.

03 · A business case

A one-page case for a people decision

A hire, a backfill, an L&D spend — written the way a CFO reads it.

How it works

The finance training HR never gets.

You learn the way analysts actually learn: by doing the work and getting expert feedback on it.

01

Live, 1:1

No pre-recorded videos. Every session is a working session with a coach.

02

Real question, no right answer

Every homework is a decision HR actually faces: a hire, a backfill, a budget line. You work it the way you would at work.

03

Bring it back, get it reviewed

You bring your model or your one-pager to the next session and we go through it together.

From past learners

What people say about working with DataSkillUp.

Quotes from learners across the DataSkillUp coaching program.

"Their sessions are very practical and grounded in real-life examples, which I really appreciate. They're straight to the point — definitely not just another lecture with slides!"
"Aaron is a highly skilled HR expert who is a pleasure to collaborate with. His deep knowledge, ability to convey complex concepts clearly, and willingness to assist make him an invaluable resource."
"DataSkillUp takes a thoughtful approach to supporting individuals in their learning journey. I would absolutely recommend connecting with them if you're looking to build confidence in analytics, whatever your background."
Finance for People Analytics
2 modules · live 1:1
// total program investment
$1,499
// what it buys// included
Two modules, live 1:1
Homework after every session
A 12-month headcount and people-cost forecast, built by you
A one-page business case for a people decision
Your forecast reviewed line by line, the way finance would
Book a free intro session →
// Alumni pricing available for past DataSkillUp learners
Common questions

Questions before you start.

HR decision-makers and senior HR leaders who own a budget or a headcount plan. HR practitioners at startups and NGOs who've been asked to own headcount and people-cost numbers. People analytics and HRBP roles that partner with FP&A. I/O graduates who want the business side their programme skipped.
Yes. Session 1 starts with the P&L top to bottom, in HR terms. We've coached HR directors who had never been shown what a P&L is. The curriculum assumes zero finance vocabulary.
Basic comfort. The headcount model is built live in Sheets, 1:1. You won't be left to figure out formulas alone.
No. Two modules of live 1:1 sessions. Homework after every session, on a real dataset with a real question. You bring your work back and we review it line by line.
A 12-month headcount and people-cost forecast with best/base/worst scenarios, a one-page business case for a people decision, and the fluency to defend both in front of finance.