How to get your employer to pay for AI training
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You want to do the AI apprenticeship. Your employer needs to agree. Here is how to make that conversation as easy as possible. Including what to say, what to send and why most employers say yes once they understand how the funding works.
For employers, the AI apprenticeship potentially costs nothing. It is usually funded through the levy they already pay, or at least 95 per cent covered by government for smaller businesses. The conversation is easier than you think.Based on UK apprenticeship levy rules, 2025.
Start with what it costs them
The first thing most managers ask is: what does this cost us? The answer, for most employers, is nothing. Levy-paying businesses usually fund it entirely from the levy pot they are already paying into. Smaller employers pay nothing for an apprentice aged 16 to 24. For anyone older the government covers 95 per cent, and a levy transfer from a larger employer can cover the rest, if you win one. Lead with this. It removes the biggest objection before it is raised.
Explain what they get out of it
This is not just training for you. It is an investment in the business. You will spend around six hours a week applying AI to your actual role. The skills you build come back to the team immediately. Productivity improves, routine tasks get faster, and the business gets a more capable person without paying for it.
Address the time concern
Six hours a week sounds like a lot. Frame it differently: those hours are spent doing your job better, using AI on real tasks. It is not time away from work. It is time spent making your work more effective. Most employers find the productivity gains outweigh the time invested.
Make it easy for them to say yes
Send them something they can read in two minutes. Our employer page explains the funding, the time commitment and what the business gets out of it. You can also ask us to speak to your employer directly, we do this regularly and it usually helps.
What to say in the conversation
"I have found a government-funded AI qualification. It usually costs the business nothing if we pay the levy, and the government funds 95 per cent if we do not. I would spend about six hours a week applying AI to my actual work, so the skills come back to the team straight away. I would like to put my name forward, can we talk it through?"
If they say no
Ask why. The most common reasons are cost (covered above), time (covered above) or simply not knowing enough about it. If they want more information, point them to our employer page or ask us to reach out. We are happy to have the conversation with them directly.
Check if you qualify, we can help with the employer conversation
Tell us a little about your situation and we will confirm your eligibility and help you get your employer on board.
Check if I qualifyGet in touchKey takeaways
- Lead with cost, because it is potentially nothing.
- Frame the time as productivity, not absence.
- Send them the employer page so they can read it themselves.
- We can speak to your employer directly if that helps.
Ready to take the next step?
Check your eligibility and we will help you have the employer conversation.
AI Skills Training arranges places on apprenticeship training delivered by approved, APAR-registered training partners; the qualification is awarded following an independent end-point assessment. Funding is subject to eligibility, confirmed before enrolment. The AI & Automation Practitioner is a Level 4 standard, funded up to £18,000 per learner. Levy-paying employers are usually fully funded from the levy they already pay. For other employers the government funds 95 per cent, and pledged levy funds from a larger employer can cover the rest.
We help UK employers and employees access government-funded AI training. Training is delivered by third-party providers.
We do not guarantee a place, a qualification, a job or any particular outcome. Eligibility and funding rules are set by the funding body and can change. Always check the current position before you commit. See our disclaimer.
Questions people ask
How do I get my employer to pay for AI training?
The first thing most managers ask is: what does this cost us? The answer, for most employers, is nothing. Levy-paying businesses usually fund it entirely from the levy pot they are already paying into. Smaller employers pay nothing for an apprentice aged 16 to 24. For anyone older the government covers 95 per cent, and a levy transfer from a larger employer can cover the rest, if you win one. Lead with this. It removes the biggest objection before it is raised
Who is the Level 4 AI apprenticeship for?
You need to be employed, aged 16 or over, and have a line manager who can sign off your timesheets. Your employer needs to be happy for you to attend. You also commit to a monthly remote masterclass and to the full 14 month programme.
What does the AI apprenticeship cost?
For levy-paying employers the training is fully funded from the levy they already pay, and a levy transfer can cover the balance if those funds run short. Government funding covers all of the cost for apprentices aged 16 to 24. For those aged 25 and over it covers 95 per cent, and a levy transfer from a larger employer can cover the rest. A larger employer can pledge unused levy funds to cover that share, if you apply and are accepted. The learner never pays anything.
How long does it take and how is it delivered?
It is the Level 4 Artificial Intelligence and Automation Practitioner apprenticeship, a national standard. It runs for around 14 months, is studied online around your job, and has no entry requirements. It ends with an independent End-Point Assessment.