IT and Cloud Practitioner Level 3

Level 3 apprenticeship standard

For people maintaining IT, cloud and telecoms systems who want the formal qualification behind the work they already do.

Check if it is funded for youRead the plain English guide
Level 3Apprenticeship level
8 to 13 monthsOn programme
6 working hours a weekPer week, employer supported
100% onlineLive, not recorded
£0Cost to the learner

In short

The IT and Cloud Practitioner Level 3 is a UK apprenticeship running 8 to 13 months online. It needs around 6 working hours a week. You finish with the Information Communications Technician Level 3. 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

Any sector relying on IT, cloud and telecommunications, including finance, healthcare, education, retail and technology.

Job titles it commonly suits

  • Network support
  • First-line support
  • IT support officer
  • Cloud technician
  • Cyber technician
  • Security support

Who this is not for

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

You have no hands on the infrastructure

You need genuine access to systems, hardware or networks to evidence the standard. Watching someone else do it does not count.

You want to go straight into cybersecurity

Security and compliance are covered, but this is a broad ICT technician standard, not a security specialism.

You are purely software or development

This is infrastructure, networks and telecoms. A developer will find little of their own work here.

You need a fast certification

Vendor certifications are quicker if a badge is all you need. This is a full apprenticeship with an End Point Assessment.

Everything is managed by a third party

If an external provider owns the infrastructure and you raise tickets to them, you will not have the hands-on evidence.

You want to specialise immediately

This is deliberately broad across hardware, networks, cloud and security. Specialising comes after, not during.

What you actually study

You will work with Infrastructure management tools for provisioning, testing, deployment and monitoring.

Communication and documentationCommunication methods, storytelling and narrative, technical documentation, stakeholders, collaborative technologies.
Standards and safetyITIL, health and safety, WEEE, and writing technical documentation.
Hardware and storageHardware fundamentals, backup principles and procedures, storage solutions and configuration.
Networking basicsNetwork models and protocols, network hardware, IP addressing and configuration.
Security and reliabilitySecurity and compliance considerations, network security, documentation and escalation.
TroubleshootingDiagnosing ICT problems using structured troubleshooting tools and methods.

How the programme runs

  1. Enrolment and initial review

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

  2. On programme, 8 to 13 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 fault you diagnosed on real infrastructure, a configuration or build you completed, and evidence you applied security policy while doing it.

  4. End Point Assessment, up to 3 months

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

  5. Where it leads

    Progression routes include Level 4 apprenticeship pathways, or higher education.

What your portfolio will actually contain

Screenshots alone will not carry it. You need the before, the reasoning and the verification that it worked.

What a typical week looks like

Six hours across configuration, fault-finding and the documentation that proves you did it properly.

Infrastructure work is bursty, so agree with your manager which jobs you can shadow or own when nothing is broken that week.

What you need before you start

  • Be employed in, or hired into, a role supporting computer and communications systems
  • Be working on real IT systems support projects
  • Have employer support for the off-the-job training hours

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 IT and Cloud 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 IT and Cloud Practitioner apprenticeship give you?

The Information Communications Technician Level 3. It is a national apprenticeship standard, so it is recognised outside the organisation you train with.

How long is the IT and Cloud Practitioner apprenticeship?

8 to 13 months on programme, then End Point Assessment over up to 3 months. The range depends on how quickly you gather portfolio evidence in your own role.

How many hours a week does it need?

Around 6 working 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 IT and Cloud 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 network support 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 IT and Cloud Practitioner apprenticeship?

Progression routes include Level 4 apprenticeship pathways, or higher education.

See if it is funded for you

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