Major changes to apprenticeship funding from April 2026. Understand the new rules and what they mean for your organisation.
Learn More →York is home to 1,000+ knowledge-economy businesses and a thriving £1bn rail and transport sector. TESS Group delivers levy-funded AI apprenticeships directly to York teams, with no travel required.
York has a unique economic position in the UK. Historic heritage blends with modern innovation. Aviva, one of the UK's largest insurance companies, operates major hubs here. NFU Mutual, Nestlé UK, and a portfolio of financial and professional services businesses create a strong knowledge economy. Network Rail's strategic headquarters coordinates rail infrastructure across the UK. York Teaching Hospital NHS Trust serves over half a million residents. The University of York is a Russell Group leader in research and education.
This combination of insurance, rail, healthcare, food production, and higher education creates complex operational challenges that AI can solve. Insurance teams need AI for claims automation and risk assessment. Rail operations teams need predictive maintenance and safety-critical automation. Healthcare administrators need AI for patient flow and resource optimisation. Universities need AI for research, learning analytics, and operational efficiency.
Yet York faces a talent pipeline issue. Professionals trained in AI and automation are scarce in the region. Levy-paying employers can use existing apprenticeship funds. Smaller firms access 95% government co-funding. Training is delivered remotely, so teams in York city centre, Clifton Moor, or Hungate can participate without disruption.
York's economy spans financial services, rail and transport, healthcare, education, food and drink, and heritage tourism. Here's how AI apprenticeships apply across the city's key industries.
Apprenticeships help underwriting, claims, customer service, and operations teams deploy AI for claims automation, risk assessment, customer personalisation, and fraud detection.
Network Rail's UK operations depend on predictive maintenance, safety systems, and operational optimisation. AI apprenticeships build automation and analytics capability across engineering and operations teams.
The hospital trust manages 500,000+ patients. AI apprenticeships help clinical operations, patient flow, resource planning, and administrative teams use AI responsibly in healthcare settings.
As a Russell Group university, York is a research leader. AI apprenticeships help academic operations, learning technology, research support, and business development teams integrate AI into education and discovery.
Food manufacturing and supply chain operations rely on quality, efficiency, and traceability. AI apprenticeships equip operations, quality, and logistics teams with automation and analytics capability.
York's tourism sector uses AI for visitor experience, demand forecasting, and operational efficiency. Apprenticeships help hospitality, marketing, and events teams leverage AI responsibly.
All six TESS AI apprenticeship programmes are available to employers in York and across North Yorkshire. Each one is delivered live and remotely, so your team trains from York city centre, Clifton Moor, York Science Park, or wherever they work.
For first-line managers who need to use data and AI tools to make better decisions, improve team performance, and lead change.
The core hands-on programme. Build, test, and deploy AI and automation solutions using Microsoft Copilot, Power Automate, or Google Workspace AI. No coding required.
Strategic AI capability for senior managers. Covers AI strategy, responsible deployment, change management, and building an AI-ready culture.
For HR, L&D, and people managers. Embed AI into recruitment, performance management, workforce planning, and employee engagement.
Operational excellence through AI. Supply chain optimisation, process automation, quality improvement, and operational analytics.
Advanced programme for technical specialists. Machine learning engineering, neural networks, NLP, and responsible AI at scale.
Interactive training via Zoom or Teams. Your team joins from their desks in York. No travel, no disruption to the working week.
For employers who prefer face-to-face, we deliver at your York offices. Same programme, same quality, in-person facilitation.
Every learner gets a dedicated skills coach who understands their role, their industry, and their goals. Regular 1-to-1 progress reviews throughout.
Yes. Any employer paying the Apprenticeship Levy (annual pay bill over £3 million) can use their existing levy funds for AI apprenticeships. Aviva, NFU Mutual, and Network Rail all have operations in York and can access their levy funds. TESS Group delivers remotely across Yorkshire, so your team trains from your own offices. Non-levy employers access 95% government co-funding, paying just 5% of training costs.
No. Apprenticeship training can be delivered remotely by any ESFA-approved provider in England. TESS Group is Ofsted Good-rated and delivers live, interactive training to York employers via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. There is no requirement for your provider to have a physical office in York. What matters is the quality of training, the qualifications included, and the support your learners receive.
For Network Rail and rail engineering companies, the AI & Automation Level 4 (ST1512) is the strongest fit. It covers predictive maintenance, operations automation, and safety-critical systems. For operations teams managing complex scheduling and resource optimisation, the AI for Operations Leaders Level 4 develops strategic capability in automation and analytics. For engineering teams, the AI & ML Fellowship Level 6 covers advanced machine learning.
Absolutely. Because training is delivered live online, team members in York city centre, Clifton Moor, York Science Park, and anywhere across North Yorkshire can join the same cohort. This also works for employers with teams spread across other UK regions.
Every TESS programme includes up to five qualifications: the apprenticeship standard itself, Microsoft Certifications (AI-900 or MS-900), NCFE Digital Qualifications, vendor-specific credentials (Google AI Essentials, Power Platform), and a portfolio of workplace evidence. Most competitors offer 0-1 additional certifications beyond the standard.
New cohorts start every 4-6 weeks. From initial enquiry to your first learner starting, the typical timeline is 2-4 weeks, depending on your internal sign-off process and DAS (Digital Apprenticeship Service) setup. We handle the ESFA paperwork and make the onboarding process as straightforward as possible.
Whether you want to pilot with one or two people or roll out across a team, we'll build the right approach for your York operation.
Enrol 1-2 team members to test the programme before scaling. See the impact first-hand with minimal commitment.
Book a Discovery CallEnrol a cohort from across your York operation. We'll tailor the programme to your sector and business goals.
Book a Discovery CallPart of Yorkshire & the Humber • All Regions