Apprenticeship · Level 4 · 14 months

AI Specialist Level 4 Apprenticeship

A practical 14-month Level 4 apprenticeship that builds real, job-ready AI skills — no coding or technical background needed. Learn to use AI tools with confidence, automate everyday tasks, and bring AI into real work projects. £18,000 funded, Brighton-based, with 1 day a month at the CPD training centre, plus 3 days a month of 1:1 tailored support & self-study.

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At a glance
Length
14 months
Venue
CPD Brighton
Funded value
£18,000
Cost to you
£0
Overview

The AI Specialist Level 4 apprenticeship helps someone become genuinely confident using AI at work. It builds practical skills to apply AI across real business tasks — from automating routine work to supporting projects, research and decisions. It's a step up from our Level 3 apprenticeships, for people who want AI to be a core part of their role rather than an occasional tool.

You don't need a technical background or any coding experience to start — apprentices come from all kinds of roles. What matters is curiosity and a willingness to learn. At the end of the training programme your employee will be confident using AI day to day, able to set up genuinely useful automations, and ready to help their whole team get more out of AI.

What you'll achieve

Curriculum

What you cover

Months 1–3

Getting started with AI

How today's AI tools work, in plain English. Hands-on with ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, and building them into your daily routine.

Months 4–6

Getting great results

Writing clear instructions that get reliable, useful answers. Practical techniques anyone can learn — no coding needed.

Months 7–9

Putting AI to work

Using AI to research, draft, summarise and organise. Applying it to the real tasks in your role.

Months 10–12

Automating everyday work

Connecting your tools so routine jobs run themselves, using friendly platforms like Zapier and Make.

Months 13–14

Capstone project + assessment

A real project from start to finish, then your end-point assessment and final portfolio.

Who it's for

Built for hiring or upskilling

New hires

Bring in fresh digital talent. We recruit and shortlist for you. 6–8 weeks from first call to start date.

Existing employees

Upskill someone already in your team into a substantial new role. Same funding rules apply.

Multi-apprentice plans

Several roles across a year. We help plan recruitment and levy drawdown.

Eligibility

Can you apply?

Apprentice must be 16+ and have right to work in the UK. Role must be substantial — at least 30 hours/week, with genuine new skills development.

Levy payer? Drawn from your levy account. Non-levy? You co-invest 5%, gov covers 95%. We handle the funding admin.

FAQ

Common questions

Who's this for?
People who want AI to be a core part of their role — using it daily to work faster, automate routine tasks, and support projects. If your apprentice will mainly use AI alongside marketing or content work, the Level 3 Digital Marketing apprenticeship is the better fit.
Do I need a technical background?
No coding or technical background needed. We start from the basics and build up — what matters is that you're keen to learn and will use AI in your day-to-day role.
What's the EPA like?
Independent assessor reviews your portfolio, observes a project presentation, asks knowledge questions, and reviews employer testimony. Two grades: Pass or Distinction.
How does this differ from a Master's?
Master's: 12 months, ~£20k of your money, classroom-heavy, no work experience baked in. Apprenticeship: 14 months, free, learned on the job, with a portfolio of real work. Different routes to similar destinations.
Can we hire an existing employee into this?
Yes — a common pattern is upskilling someone already on your team into an AI-focused role. Substantial new skills makes it eligible.

Hire on this apprenticeship

Request a 20-min callback. We walk through funding, role design, and timeline.

Employer enquirySee open roles

Or call us: 01273 232273