For employers, learners, and L&D leads choosing between two AI apprenticeships
AI Level 4 or Level 6? Find out which fits in 3 minutes.
A 15-question fit assessment built directly from the official Skills England standards (ST1512 and ST1398). Tells you whether the AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4 or the Machine Learning Engineer Level 6 is the right apprenticeship, and which TESS Group variant fits your specific situation.
Mapped to the official Skills England KSBs
- Candidate background & technical foundation
- Programming and mathematical comfort (L6 K16, K18)
- Operational vs engineering work appetite
- Time and decision authority profile (L6 B5)
- Business outcome and risk tolerance
- AI ecosystem and infrastructure context
- Cohort sizing and salary trajectory
Before you start
What is the difference between the two?
The Level 4 AI and Automation Practitioner (ST1512) is for people who apply AI and automation in a business role: no coding, 15 months, £18,000 band. The Level 6 Machine Learning Engineer (ST1398) is for technical staff who build models: about 24 months, £22,000 band, programming required.
How does the assessment decide?
Fifteen questions built from the knowledge, skills and behaviours in each standard. If your answers lean towards using tools to change processes, it recommends Level 4; if they lean towards building and training models, Level 6. Nothing is submitted; the score is calculated on this page.
What if a team needs both?
Common in larger organisations: a small technical group on Level 6 and the wider business on Level 4. Book a call via the contact form and we will map it with you.