AI Apprenticeships in Portsmouth: What Employers Need to Know in 2026
Portsmouth is a major naval and defence city, with Portsmouth Naval Base, BAE Systems Maritime, IBM, the University of Portsmouth, and the city's port and cruise operations. But across all of these sectors, one challenge keeps coming up: teams need practical AI skills, and they need them now.
AI apprenticeships are one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways for Portsmouth employers to build that capability. They're levy-funded through the Apprenticeship Levy (or 95% funded for SMEs), delivered entirely online so location is never a barrier, and they develop your existing employees rather than forcing you to hire externally.
Why Portsmouth employers are choosing AI apprenticeships
The shift isn't theoretical. Businesses across the South East are already enrolling team members on AI apprenticeships because:
- They're 100% levy funded. If you pay the Apprenticeship Levy, this training costs your business nothing. SMEs can access 95% government co-funding, bringing the cost close to zero.
- They upskill existing staff. You don't need to hire new people. AI apprenticeships develop the team you already have, giving them practical skills they apply to real work from week one.
- They're delivered online. Live sessions, 1:1 coaching, and workplace projects, all delivered remotely. Your Portsmouth-based team joins from their desks. No travel, no disruption.
- Monthly starts. No waiting for September intakes. Enrol your team any month and they start immediately.
Which AI programmes are available?
TESS Group delivers a range of AI and data apprenticeships suited to different roles and levels. The most popular with Portsmouth employers include:
- AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4, chosen by Portsmouth naval, defence and port logistics teams applying AI to scheduling, maintenance and operational admin workflows
- Data-Driven Team Leader Level 3, popular with South Coast team leaders in BAE Maritime, Portsmouth Naval Base support and port logistics moving to data-led decisions
- AI & Machine Learning Fellowship Level 6, for senior technical staff at BAE Systems, defence primes and Portsmouth's naval engineering supply chain building AI strategy at scale
- AI short courses (Copilot, Gemini, Prompt Engineering) for rapid upskilling across whole teams in Portsmouth's naval, defence, port and logistics sectors
Every programme includes live workshops, 1:1 tutor support, and a workplace improvement project where learners apply their skills to a real business challenge.
Your team. Your goals. A 20-minute call.
Tell us what you want AI to change in your organisation, we'll map it to a levy-funded apprenticeship that delivers.
Book a Discovery Call →How it works for Portsmouth businesses
Getting started is straightforward. You book a free discovery call, and a TESS advisor maps your team's needs to the right programme. There's no obligation, and they'll confirm your levy eligibility on the spot.
Once enrolled, your team members attend fortnightly live online sessions alongside learners from other organisations. They also get monthly 1:1 coaching and work on an improvement project tied to your business priorities. Most employers see a measurable return before the programme even finishes.
Ready to upskill your Portsmouth team?
Book a free discovery call and we'll map the right AI programme to your business goals. 100% levy funded. Monthly starts.
Book Your Free Discovery CallWhat Portsmouth employers are asking
Do my staff need a technical background? No. The Level 3 and Level 4 programmes are designed for non-technical employees. No coding experience is needed.
Can I enrol a whole team? Yes. Many employers put through cohorts of 5 to 20+ at once. TESS will build a schedule that works around your operations.
Is this available to SMEs? Absolutely. If you don't pay the levy, the government funds 95% of the cost. For most SMEs with fewer than 50 employees, it's levy-funded with no employer contribution.
How long do the programmes last? Between 13 and 24 months depending on the level. Short courses run from 1 day to 12 weeks.
Our Portsmouth BAE team handles MOD-classified work, can apprenticeship workplace projects fit inside security clearance rules? No classified material leaves your environment. Learners apply AI to business problems you scope within your own security perimeter, and workplace projects are framed around your existing clearance and IT rules. Several Portsmouth defence employers run cohorts under standard MOD security controls with no adjustments needed.
See the full Portsmouth AI apprenticeship options
Visit the AI Apprenticeships hub for the full list of programmes available to Portsmouth employers, or book a discovery call to get started.