What is the HR and L&D edition of the AI & Automation Level 4 apprenticeship?
It is the same Level 4 AI & Automation Practitioner apprenticeship (ST1512) that The TESS Group delivers in open cohorts, run as a cohort for HR and L&D professionals only, open to any employer or run privately for one people team. The twelve modules are unchanged. What changes is every example, exercise and build, which use HR and L&D work rather than generic business tasks. It also adds Using AI in HR Practice, an NCFE-accredited Customised Qualification. Two cohorts run: 1 December 2026 and 12 January 2027.
Is the HR edition levy-funded?
Yes. It is the ST1512 apprenticeship, so it draws on the Apprenticeship Levy at the £18,000 funding band for levy-paying employers, with no course fee. Non-levy employers pay 5% (£900) for apprentices aged 25 and over, and nothing for apprentices aged 16 to 24. The HR-specific content and the Using AI in HR Practice qualification are included at no additional cost.
Do HR professionals need to code for this apprenticeship?
No. ST1512 is delivered without code throughout. Learners build automations and agents on no-code platforms such as Copilot Studio and Power Automate. Most learners on the open-cohort programme come from non-technical roles, and this edition is built for HR, people and L&D backgrounds specifically.
Is Using AI in HR Practice a regulated qualification?
No. Using AI in HR Practice is a Customised Qualification developed by The TESS Group and accredited by NCFE. It is an unregulated qualification and is not a nationally recognised qualification. Its learning outcomes have been benchmarked at Level 3 using national framework level descriptors to show depth of study. Learners receive a certificate of achievement issued directly by NCFE. The apprenticeship itself, ST1512, is a regulated Level 4 standard.
How long does the HR edition take?
Twelve months of delivery covering the twelve modules, followed by a three-month end-point assessment window with NQual, an Ofqual-recognised assessment organisation. Around fifteen months in total. One module a month, with protected off-the-job training time, as on the open-cohort programme.
Who is the HR edition for?
HR Business Partners, HR Advisers and Officers, People Operations, Recruitment and Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations, Reward, HRIS and People Analytics, L&D Advisers, Consultants and Partners, Learning Designers, and HR or L&D leads who want hands-on capability rather than a briefing. It requires no technical background.
How is the apprenticeship assessed?
By NQual, an Ofqual-recognised assessment organisation, through a workplace project (written report, or presentation with questions) and a professional discussion, graded Pass or Distinction. Results come back in an average of five working days. Across all TESS apprenticeships, learners achieve a 72% distinction rate against a UK national average of around 33%, and a 98% EPA pass rate. The Using AI in HR Practice qualification is assessed separately through a workbook of 26 criteria marked Met or Not Yet Met.
What is the difference between this and the one-day AI for HR workshop?
The one-day workshop is a briefing: you leave knowing what is possible. The apprenticeship is a build programme: you leave with live automations and an HR policy agent running in your organisation, a regulated Level 4 apprenticeship, three embedded industry certifications, and the Using AI in HR Practice qualification, all levy-funded. Choose the workshop for awareness and the apprenticeship for capability.
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