Data & AI apprenticeships that build a data-driven, AI-ready workforce
TESS Group delivers the full data and AI apprenticeship ladder, from Level 3 data literacy and team leadership through to the Level 6 AI & Machine Learning Fellowship. Every programme is 100% levy-funded, delivered live online across England, and designed so data skills and AI capability grow together, not in silos.
TESS Group delivers data and AI apprenticeships across the UK. We are rated Ofsted Good, hold a 4.9/5 rating from 690 reviews, and achieve a 72% distinction rate against a UK average of 33%. The ladder runs from the Level 3 Data-Driven Team Leader and Data Technician programmes, through the Level 4 Data Analyst and AI & Automation Practitioner (ST1512), to Level 5 AI Leadership Units and the Level 6 AI & Machine Learning Fellowship. All programmes are 100% levy-funded, Skills England approved, and delivered live online across England.
Credentials that matter to employers
Before you commit levy to a data and AI training plan, you want evidence the provider can deliver. Here is the credential stack TESS brings to every cohort.
Ofsted Good
Formally inspected and rated Good by the official English education inspectorate.
Skills England approved
Approved to deliver apprenticeship standards and draw down levy funding on behalf of employers.
100% levy-funded
Every data and AI apprenticeship on this page is fully fundable through the apprenticeship levy.
4.9/5 from 690 reviews
Verified learner and employer feedback, publicly available on Trustpilot and Google.
72% distinction rate
More than double the UK average of 33% at End Point Assessment, across our programmes.
10,000+ learners, 1000+ employers
Trusted by the NHS, Financial Times, EDF Energy, Transport for London, DPD, and Clarins.
Why combine data and AI skills in one workforce plan
AI initiatives fail without data capability underneath them, and data teams stall without AI to act on what the numbers say. Employers who train both together get a workforce that can find the insight and automate the response.
Most organisations treat data training and AI training as separate budgets, run by separate teams, with separate providers. The result is predictable: analysts who can build a dashboard but cannot automate what it reveals, and AI champions who deploy tools on top of messy, misunderstood data.
A combined data and AI apprenticeship strategy fixes that at three levels:
- Foundations. Level 3 programmes give team leaders and operational staff the data literacy to read performance, question numbers, and make evidence-based decisions.
- Specialists. Level 4 programmes build analysts who master SQL, Python, and Power BI, and AI practitioners who design, deploy, and govern automation - two halves of the same capability.
- Leadership. Level 5 and 6 programmes equip senior leaders to set AI strategy and governance, and technical talent to build machine learning systems in production.
Because every programme is 100% levy-funded, employers can build this entire pipeline from training budget they have already paid. That is how organisations like the NHS, Financial Times, EDF Energy, Transport for London, DPD, and Clarins develop data and AI capability with TESS.
The full data and AI apprenticeship ladder, Level 3 to Level 6
Six programmes, one progression pathway. Every programme below is 100% levy-funded, Skills England approved, and delivered live online across England.
Data-Driven Team Leader
Data literacy and first-line leadership in one programme. Build dashboards, read performance data, and lead teams with evidence rather than instinct.
Programme details →Data Technician
Entry-level data skills: SQL, Excel, and Power BI. Turn raw data into clean, usable reporting for any department in the business.
Programme details →Data Analyst
Python, SQL, Power BI, and predictive analytics. Develop analysts who turn business questions into data-backed answers and forecasts.
Programme details →AI & Automation Practitioner
The flagship AI apprenticeship standard. Build, deploy, and govern AI and automation solutions that put your data to work across the business.
Programme details →AI Leadership Units
Focused Skills England units for executives and senior leaders shaping AI strategy, governance, and adoption across the enterprise.
Programme details →AI & Machine Learning Fellowship
Graduate-level fellowship. Build, evaluate, and deploy machine learning systems in production environments.
Programme details →How to choose a data and AI apprenticeship provider
Plenty of levy-approved providers list a data course here and an AI course there. Very few offer a connected ladder designed by a specialist. Three questions cut through the noise: Does the provider cover every level you need? Are their results above the national average? Will they design data and AI training as one plan? Here is how TESS answers them.
| Capability | TESS Group | Generalist provider |
|---|---|---|
| Programme ladder | Full Level 3 to Level 6 data and AI progression | One or two standalone courses, no progression design |
| Curriculum design | Built around data, AI, and automation workflows | Generic IT or management curriculum with modules added |
| Results | 72% distinction rate, against a UK average of 33% | At or around the national average |
| Funding support | 100% levy-funded, with levy planning included | Funding admin largely left to the employer |
| Delivery | Live online across England, blended options for larger cohorts | Classroom-first or pre-recorded content |
| Employer reporting | Monthly progress dashboards mapped to KSBs | Quarterly summaries, often learner-count only |
Frequently asked questions
Common questions from employers and heads of L&D planning data and AI apprenticeships.
Build your data and AI talent pipeline
Tell us where your team is today and we will map the right mix of data and AI apprenticeships against your levy position. No commitment, plain answers.
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