EmpaCore · Data · AI · Digital Inclusion

Bright, honest data and AI from a data analyst rooted in Liverpool.

I am Lauren Hargreaves, a data analyst who came through college queues and kitchen tables, not boardrooms. I use data, story and AI to help close opportunity gaps for people who were never handed a perfect starting line. EmpaCore is where that work lives.

See what I do Contact me

Location: Liverpool, UK
Background: First Class BSc Hons Computer Science
Focus: Data storytelling · Education · Inclusion
Open to: Data and analytics roles that add real value

Real life in the data

A non traditional route into data

In 2015 my twin daughters were born prematurely and passed away. That loss changed how I see time, opportunity and care. When I eventually returned to study, I carried that perspective into every decision.

Going back to education later in life, starting in a Level 2 IT class almost by accident after picking the shortest queue at a college open day. That led to Level 3, then HNC, then HND and finally a First Class Honours degree in Computer Science.

I finished my degree while my son revised for his GCSEs. Most nights we worked at the same table, using AI as our extra pair of eyes when we could not afford a tutor.

Liverpool, life and learning the long way round

I grew up in Liverpool. Tech never looked like it was meant for families like mine. There were no coding camps or relatives in industry, just responsibility and a lot of guessing.

Growing up around “other people’s careers”

As a teenager, tech felt distant and off limits. Serious careers seemed to live in someone else’s postcode. I knew how to work hard, budget and care for people, but had no roadmap for breaking into an industry that did not seem to have space for us.

Finding my way back into education

Years later I walked into a college open day and chose the shortest queue. That small decision led me through Level 2, Level 3, HNC and HND, and eventually to a First Class degree in Computer Science, all while raising my son and rebuilding my life.

EmpaCore was born from those years of studying at the kitchen table with my son, using data and AI to keep going when time, money and confidence were all tight.

What that means for my work

Today I use data, story and AI to support businesses, young people, parents and communities who are often underestimated. I care about those who are underrepresented, stretched thin and carrying a lot, and who deserve tools that actually fit their lives.

My work sits where real life and data meet. I focus on clear language, honest limits and the human impact of every chart and model.

What I do with data and AI

I blend analytical skills with lived experience. The work is about making sense of messy data, sharing what matters clearly and using AI in ways that support real people with real constraints.

Data and insight

I start from the human question, not the tool. The goal is insight that changes choices and helps teams see what they were missing, not just another dashboard that nobody reads.

Exploratory data analysis
Cleaning and structuring real world datasets
Clear summaries for non technical audiences

Education · Social Mobility · Public Good

AI for learning and confidence

My son and I used AI as a study partner, a way to ask questions, check our understanding and break big tasks into smaller steps. I call this kitchen table AI, ordinary people using smart tools in a grounded, honest way.

Practical AI routines for studying
Support for parents, carers and communities
Guidance for learners without extra support

AI that meets people where they are

Speaking and storytelling

I speak and write about class, care, education and tech, and what it looks like to build a data career from a council house rather than a corner office.

AI at the kitchen table
Routes into data that do not look linear
Digital inclusion without the gloss

Talks · panels · articles

Featured work: data that pays attention to context

I am interested in questions where numbers shape real lives, not just performance metrics. Things like:

Which students quietly fall through the cracks and when that happens
How postcode, class or caring responsibilities change outcomes
How to present findings so that they lead to action, not defensiveness

My portfolio is growing around education, access and social mobility, always with the aim that the people affected can read, question and use the findings.

Ask me about my projects

Let us talk about data, AI and the people in the middle.

I am open to data and analytics roles that add real value, along with collaborations, speaking and projects where we care about who benefits, not just what looks impressive on a slide.

You can reach me easily here:

If you are a parent, student or educator who wants a grounded chat about AI and learning, you are welcome too. It does not have to be formal.