Same Skills England standard (ST1512, AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4). Same 15 months. Same levy funding. Same 4.9/5 from 689+ verified reviews. The difference: every module is taught through Google Gemini and the Google ecosystem your team already uses.
Why Google Gemini specifically?
- Your organisation already runs on Google Workspace. Adopting Gemini extends what your team already knows rather than introducing a parallel toolset.
- Google AI Essentials is the entry-level credential most aligned with the L4 ST1512 standard's KSBs — and it's embedded in the programme at no extra cost.
- Vertex AI Studio plus AppSheet is the strongest no-code AI tooling stack outside Microsoft. Especially strong for organisations with their own data in BigQuery.
- Google's data residency and Workspace governance tooling makes Gemini a natural fit for organisations with complex international or sectoral data requirements.
The Google stack covered
- Google Gemini in Workspace — Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gmail, Meet
- AppSheet — Build custom AI-powered apps with no code
- Vertex AI Studio — Custom Gemini agents and prompt engineering at scale
- Google AI Studio — Free-tier Gemini API for prototyping and testing
- Looker Studio — AI-driven data visualisation and reporting
- BigQuery + Gemini — Natural-language queries against enterprise data warehouses
Six concrete things apprentices ship during the programme
- Document and email automation in Workspace. Gemini in Docs, Gmail, and Meet handles drafting, summarising, and formatting at scale. Apprentices learn the prompting patterns that turn a long meeting into a 200-word action-item brief.
- Sheets as a data engine. Gemini for Sheets transforms Sheets into an analyst-tier tool. Forecasting, formula explanations, and pivot generation now happen in natural language.
- Custom Gemini agents in Vertex AI Studio. Apprentices design and deploy domain-specific Gemini agents for HR queries, customer service, knowledge bases — using Vertex AI Studio's prompt-tuning interface.
- AppSheet automation flows. Replace manual approval chains, multi-system data entry, and triage workflows with no-code AppSheet automations. Strong fit for Workspace-native organisations.
- Compliance and AI governance. Google Cloud's data residency, VPC service controls, and Workspace compliance tooling. Embedded into the apprenticeship through the BCS AI & Data Ethics module.
- Looker Studio dashboards. AI-driven Looker Studio dashboards that summarise themselves and highlight anomalies. Apprentices ship at least one production dashboard during the programme.
The 11 modules — same standard, Google-flavoured
The Skills England ST1512 standard requires apprentices to demonstrate competence across 11 KSBs (knowledge, skills, behaviours). On this programme they're taught through Google Gemini:
- AI fundamentals & ethics (BCS AI & Data Ethics certification embedded)
- Working with data in Google's data tools
- Prompt engineering for Gemini
- Process automation — AppSheet + Apps Script
- Building custom AI agents in Vertex AI Studio
- Data analysis & visualisation (Looker Studio)
- AI governance & risk management
- Working with stakeholders to identify AI opportunities
- Implementing & testing AI solutions
- Continuous improvement & deployment
- Reflecting on AI's impact on work and society
Book a 30-minute discovery call
Bring your team profile and your Google licensing setup. We'll map your team's AI capability gaps to a Gemini-flavoured programme that closes them.
Book a Discovery CallGoogle Gemini or Microsoft Copilot?
Both are the same Level 4 ST1512 apprenticeship; the difference is which tool stack apprentices are immersed in. Most TESS clients pick the version that matches the productivity stack their workforce already uses — minimising context-switching cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a different apprenticeship to the standard AI & Automation Level 4?
No. It's the same Skills England standard (ST1512, AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4) — the same 15-month programme, the same end-point assessment, the same levy funding. The difference is curriculum focus: this version teaches every module through the Google Workspace + Vertex AI stack rather than mixing tools.
Can apprentices switch between Gemini and Copilot cohorts?
Yes — both are ST1512. Some employers run mixed cohorts (different learners, same standard). We default to grouping by primary toolset for a tighter cohort experience.
Does this include the Google AI Essentials certification?
Yes — Google AI Essentials is embedded in the programme at no additional cost. Apprentices complete the certification during the programme.
How much Google licensing do we need to provide?
Apprentices need access to Gemini in Workspace (most Google Workspace plans include this). For the Vertex AI Studio modules, a Google Cloud project is helpful but not required — TESS provides sandbox access for the duration of the programme.
How does this compare to a Google AI short course?
A short course covers Gemini awareness in 1-2 days. This is a 15-month structured apprenticeship with a portfolio of real workplace projects, end-point assessment, and recognised qualifications. Levy-funded means £0 net cost for levy-paying employers.
Is the 8-month accelerated track available for the Gemini version?
Yes — the same 8-month fast-track variant is available, taught entirely through the Google Workspace stack. See our 8-month accelerated AI & Automation page.
What's the distinction rate?
59% of TESS apprentices on AI standards achieve a Distinction grade vs ~20% national average. Distinction rate is the single best provider-quality signal.
Is Gemini the right choice if our organisation uses both Microsoft and Google?
Many UK organisations run hybrid stacks. We default learners to the toolset they use most in their daily role. Some apprentices learn both and pick the right tool per task during the programme.