Free AI Training for Leaders — Use Your Levy Before September 2026

The double deadline you can't ignore

Two things are happening simultaneously, and they're creating a unique window of opportunity.

Deadline 1: Your levy funds expire after 12 months

The Growth and Skills Levy window has shortened from 24 months to 12 months. That means any levy funds you haven't spent are automatically forfeited. If you had funds available in March 2026, they're gone by March 2027 unless you use them. This isn't negotiable — it's how the system works now.

Deadline 2: Leadership standards are losing funding

From September 2026, the government is withdrawing funding from several core apprenticeship standards, including the Team Leader (L3), Operations Manager (L5), and Coaching Professional (L5). Training providers are capped on how many learners they can enrol on these programmes, and availability is already tight. After September, these programmes won't be funded at all — they'll need to be fully self-funded.

The combined impact is straightforward: if you don't act now, you lose both the money and the programmes. You can't defer this decision.

Need the full picture? Our Growth & Skills Levy 2026 guide covers every change — the new expiry rules, co-investment increases, defunding timeline, and what it all means for your training budget.

Where your levy money goes furthest

This is where the opportunity lies. While legacy leadership programmes are shrinking, the government's AI apprenticeships are growing and fully funded.

AI for People Leaders (L4)

• Duration: 18 months
• Funding: £18,000 (fully funded through apprenticeship levy)
• Accreditation: CMI Level 3 Management Qualification
• Ideal for: First-line managers, HR teams, L&D professionals who need to understand AI's impact on people strategy, training, and team management

AI for Operations Leaders (L4)

• Duration: 15 months
• Funding: £18,000 (fully funded through apprenticeship levy)
• Accreditation: CMI Level 5 Leadership Qualification
• Ideal for: Middle-to-senior operations managers, department heads, and leaders responsible for driving efficiency and digital transformation

The funding comparison is striking. Team Leader was £5,000. Operations Manager was £9,000. You're now getting 2–3.6 times the investment per learner from the same levy pot. And unlike the legacy programmes, these AI standards are government-backed, growing, and designed for the skills the market actually needs right now.

What your leaders will actually learn

These aren't generic "introduction to AI" courses. They're accredited leadership and management qualifications that happen to be built around AI.

Core curriculum includes:

• Practical AI skills: Prompt engineering, automation (Power Automate, Excel, business process automation), data analysis for decision-making
• Leadership development: CMI-accredited management and leadership theory, change management, team development, strategic thinking
• Responsible AI: Ethics, governance, security, compliance, and risk — everything your team needs to deploy AI safely in your organisation
• Change management: How to bring AI adoption to your teams without the chaos, and how to address the human side of transformation

Delivery is online via Zoom and Teams — interactive workshops with breakout rooms, collaborative work, and no travel required. Learners also get 1:1 skills coach sessions throughout to ensure they're getting the most from the programme. You can run open cohorts or closed cohorts (10–15+ delegates from your org with tailored content).

Who should you be enrolling?

• Team leaders stepping into first management roles → AI for People Leaders
• HR and L&D managers who need to understand AI's impact on people strategy, hiring, training, and team dynamics → AI for People Leaders
• Operations managers running departments or functions → AI for Operations Leaders
• Senior managers who need to drive AI adoption across the business → AI for Operations Leaders
• Anyone you were planning to put on Team Leader or Ops Manager → These AI programmes are a direct upgrade. You're getting 3.6x the investment, better future-proofing, and genuine differentiation in your market

The numbers that matter

Three steps to get started

Step 1: Check your DAS account

Log in to your Apprenticeship Service account and see what levy balance you have available. Make a note of it. This is real money — use it or lose it by March 2027.

Step 2: Identify 5–10 leaders who'd benefit

Think about your people. Who are your emerging first-line managers? Who's running key departments? Who's responsible for digital transformation or operations? Make a shortlist. We can help you think through this if you're unsure — we've mapped these profiles across hundreds of organisations.

Step 3: Contact TESS Group

We handle all the admin, paperwork, and setup. We've been running AI leadership apprenticeships since the standards launched, and we've put early adopters like BuyItDirect and DX Logistics through the programme. We know how to move quickly, and we know how to deliver outcomes that stick.

Timeline: Act before the window closes