AI and Automation Practitioner Level 4

Level 4 apprenticeship standard

The degree-level route. Applied AI across your whole role rather than one function, with a nationally recognised qualification at the end.

Check if it is funded for youRead the plain English guide
Level 4Apprenticeship level
14 monthsOn programme
6 hours a weekPer week, employer supported
100% onlineLive, not recorded
£0Cost to the learner

In short

The AI and Automation Practitioner Level 4 is a UK apprenticeship running around 14 months online. It needs around 6 hours a week. You finish with the AI and Automation Practitioner Level 4 apprenticeship (standard ST1512). Levy-paying employers are usually fully funded, and for other employers the government funds all of it for an apprentice aged 16 to 24. The learner never pays.

Who this is for

Anyone already in work who wants degree-level AI capability applied to their own job. It runs across almost any role or sector.

Job titles it commonly suits

  • Managers
  • Operations
  • Finance
  • Marketing
  • HR
  • Administration

Who this is not for

Worth being blunt. The wrong fit wastes a year and can cost your employer the funding.

You want a short AI course

This is roughly 14 months at degree level. If you want a working knowledge of prompting, a two-day course will get you there faster.

You are not employed

The funding follows the job. You need to be in work to be eligible.

You want to become an AI engineer

This is applied AI for people in business roles. It is not a machine learning or software engineering route.

Your employer will not protect the hours

Six hours a week is a funding condition. Without it the programme slips and the employer can lose the funding.

You want theory

Almost all of the assessment comes from applying AI to your own work. If your role gives you nothing to apply it to, there is nothing to evidence.

You already lead AI adoption

If you are already setting AI policy and tooling for an organisation, much of this will be beneath you.

What you actually study

You will work with Current generative AI tools, applied to your own role and projects throughout.

Using AI tools wellGetting reliable, useful results from current AI tools in everyday work, rather than impressive demos that do not survive contact with the job.
Working with dataUsing AI to organise, analyse and make sense of the information your organisation already holds.
Automating the routineSpotting repetitive tasks worth streamlining, and knowing which ones should stay manual.
Responsible AI useWhere the tools are reliable, where they are not, and what governance a business needs around them.

How the programme runs

  1. Enrolment and initial review

    Eligibility checked, paperwork signed, and your starting point assessed against the standard.

  2. On programme, around 14 months

    Live online workshops each month of three to four hours, a monthly one to one with your tutor, and a progress review every ten weeks. Class sizes cap at ten.

  3. Building the portfolio

    Expect to evidence a process you automated end to end, a decision you improved using data, and a piece of governance you put around AI use in your team.

  4. End Point Assessment, built into the programme

    A portfolio of evidence, an evaluative report, a presentation and a professional discussion.

  5. Where it leads

    Progression routes include Higher education, or specialist Level 5 pathways.

What your portfolio will actually contain

At degree level the assessor wants the reasoning and the measured effect, not the tool you used. Showing what you chose not to automate carries as much weight as what you did.

What a typical week looks like

Around six hours, applied to your own role rather than set aside as separate study.

The learners who do well pick one real business problem early and work it across the whole programme, instead of hunting for evidence at the end.

What you need before you start

  • Be employed
  • Be able to apply AI to your own role and projects as you learn
  • Have employer support for around 6 hours a week

There are no academic entry requirements. What matters is that the job gives you real work to evidence.

What it costs

Funded through the apprenticeship levy and government co-investment.

£0
If your employer pays the levy, funded from money they already contribute
£0
If they do not pay the levy, for an apprentice aged 16 to 24, with government funding 95% for anyone older
£0
To you, the learner, in every case

Employers with an annual pay bill over £3 million pay the levy. For the AI and Automation Practitioner route the same rules apply as any other apprenticeship standard. Funding rules are set by the funding body and can change, so check before committing.

Common questions

What qualification does the AI and Automation Practitioner apprenticeship give you?

The AI and Automation Practitioner Level 4 apprenticeship (standard ST1512). It is a national apprenticeship standard, so it is recognised outside the organisation you train with.

How long is the AI and Automation Practitioner apprenticeship?

Around 14 months on programme, then End Point Assessment over built into the programme. The range depends on how quickly you gather portfolio evidence in your own role.

How many hours a week does it need?

Around 6 hours a week, protected by your employer. That time is a funding condition rather than a recommendation, so agree it before you enrol.

What does the AI and Automation Practitioner apprenticeship cost?

Nothing to you. In England it is funded through the apprenticeship levy and government co-investment. Levy-paying employers usually draw it from the levy they already pay. Other employers pay nothing for an apprentice aged 16 to 24, and for one aged 25 or over the government funds 95 per cent, with a levy transfer able to cover the rest.

Do I need qualifications to start?

No academic entry requirements. What you do need is a managers type role with genuine work to evidence, because the assessment is built from what you actually do.

How is it assessed?

A portfolio drawn from your own work, an evaluative report, a presentation and a professional discussion. The portfolio is the part that takes planning, so start capturing evidence in week one.

Is it delivered online?

Yes, live online workshops rather than recorded video. Monthly sessions of three to four hours, a monthly one to one, and a review every ten weeks. Class sizes cap at ten.

What comes after the AI and Automation Practitioner apprenticeship?

Progression routes include Higher education, or specialist Level 5 pathways.

See if it is funded for you

It takes a couple of minutes. If it is the wrong course for you, we will say so.

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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. Follow us on Instagram.

Related reading: AI Automation for Your Business