Two years ago, the apprenticeship standards that paid most of our bills were heading for the scrapheap. Team Leader Level 3, Operations Manager Level 5 and Coaching Professional Level 5 are all now on the government's defunding list.
We could have waited it out. Instead we rebuilt the business around AI skills, before the funding landscape forced everyone else to.
That is why we have been shortlisted for Education & Training Business of the Year at the Growing Business Awards 2026, with winners announced on 26 November at the Hilton London Bankside. Awards posts are usually hollow, so here is the substance behind ours.
What actually changed
The pivot, in order
Before and after
| 2024 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Flagship programme | Team Leader Level 3 | AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4 (ST1512) |
| Funding outlook | Being withdrawn from September 2026 | A government priority skills area |
| Typical learner | New and aspiring managers | Anyone automating real work, no coding needed |
| Learner support | Scheduled reviews with a coach | Coach plus Coachy, our AI tutor, outside office hours |
What that meant in practice
It was less comfortable than it sounds. Writing curriculum for tools that change every fortnight means a launch like Claude Opus 5 becomes next week's lesson rather than a problem, and a rival release like Kimi K3 becomes a live case study in evaluating models.
It also meant building Coachy on Claude, so an apprentice stuck on a workflow at 11pm gets structured help then, instead of holding the question until their next review three weeks later.
The numbers we would rather be judged on
A shortlist is a nice thing to put on a wall. These matter more, because they come from inspectors and learners rather than from us:
- Ofsted Good, and a Skills England approved provider.
- 72% distinction rate.
- 4.9 out of 5 from more than 712 reviews.
- 10,000+ learners trained.
A 25-minute levy mapping call. We will show you what your funds cover and which roles to start with.
Book a levy mapping call →We are also up against good companies. Congratulations to Picture News and Product Marketing Alliance, our fellow finalists in the category.
Why this matters if you are an employer
Three things are happening to your apprenticeship budget at once, and they are not subtle. Co-investment rises to 25% on 1 August. Unused levy funds now expire after 12 months instead of 24. And 16 standards lose funding in September, while the overall budget peaks this year.
Against that backdrop, our rebuild matters to you for three reasons.
- Your provider should not be the thing that breaks. Choosing a provider whose core offer is being defunded is a risk you do not need to carry. We moved before we were forced to.
- The skills have to get used. Vendor-neutral training means your people can work with whatever model your business actually runs, and rebuild a workflow when it changes.
- The levy goes on the capability in demand. AI and digital sit in the government's priority category, which is the side of the reforms money is moving towards, not away from.
See the programmes that came out of this rebuild →
If you want the detail: the AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4 is our flagship, the Claude Apprenticeship is the same standard taught through Claude, and the short AI Leadership units cover senior leaders in 30 hours.
25 minutes. No sales script, just a clear map of your options and an honest answer if we are not the right fit. Reply within one working day.
Book a 25-minute levy mapping call →Not ready to talk? Read the AI apprenticeship buyer's guide instead, including the questions worth asking any provider.
Thank you to every employer and apprentice who got us here. See you at Bankside in November.
And if you are an employer working through the same funding shifts, we would genuinely like to hear how you are approaching AI skills this year. Tell us, even if you are not buying anything.
Frequently asked questions.
What has TESS Group been shortlisted for?
TESS Group has been shortlisted for Education & Training Business of the Year at the Growing Business Awards 2026. The winners are announced at the awards ceremony on 26 November 2026 at the Hilton London Bankside.
What are the Growing Business Awards?
The Growing Business Awards recognise high-growth UK businesses across categories including sector awards, entrepreneur awards and turnover-banded growth awards. The 2026 ceremony takes place on 26 November at the Hilton London Bankside, with Saffery as headline sponsor.
Who else is shortlisted in the Education & Training category?
The Education & Training Business of the Year shortlist features Picture News, Product Marketing Alliance and TESS Group.
What does TESS Group do?
TESS Group is an AI apprenticeship provider in the UK, specialising in levy-funded AI training for employers. Programmes run from Level 3 to Level 6, including the AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4 (ST1512), a Claude edition of that standard, and short Level 5 AI Leadership units. Training is funded through the Growth and Skills Levy and needs no coding background to start.
Is TESS Group Ofsted rated?
Yes. TESS Group is an Ofsted Good apprenticeship provider and a Skills England approved provider, with a 72% distinction rate and a 4.9 out of 5 rating from more than 712 reviews.