Built by TESS as the natural alternative to the defunded Operations / Departmental Manager L5 apprenticeship. Same operational leadership content, plus AI fluency, plus a CMI Level 5 Award in Management & Leadership included complimentary. For middle managers, heads of function and newly-promoted senior leaders. 100% levy-funded.
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It's among the standards losing apprenticeship funding from September 2026,and no direct successor has been announced. Middle and senior operations leadership isn't going anywhere, but the way you fund it needs to change.
The good news: TESS has built the natural successor. Same operational leadership content. Plus AI. Plus a CMI Level 5 Award. Plus Coachy your AI tutor. All under the live ST1512 standard. See the curriculum mapping →
Built by the same TESS leadership team that delivered the Operations / Departmental Manager Level 5 standard. Every one of the 12 modules from the old curriculum maps directly into 8 deeper leadership modules across 4 intensive days,plus 15 AI & automation modules, a formal CMI Level 5 Award in Management & Leadership, and Coachy your AI tutor. All in one levy-funded apprenticeship.
| Feature | Operations Manager L5 (ST0385) | AI for Operations Leaders L4 (ST1512) |
|---|---|---|
| Funding status (2026) | Defunded from September 2026 | Live, levy-funded through ST1512 |
| Apprenticeship level | Level 5 | Level 4 with CMI Level 5 Award included |
| Funding band | £9,000 | £18,000 |
| Duration | 18 months | 15 months |
| Leadership qualification | CMI Level 5 Diploma (separate cost) | CMI Level 5 Award in Management & Leadership, included |
| AI & automation content | None | 12 AI & automation modules covering operations-specific use cases |
| AI tutor | None | Coachy (Claude-powered), 24/7, included free |
| End Point Assessment | Various EPAOs | BCS, integrated EPA preparation throughout |
| Distinction rate | UK national average ~33% | TESS 72% |
The apprenticeship is the ST1512 AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4 standard. On top, TESS includes a curated stack of qualifications, leadership half-days and tools,all complimentary. No extra cost. No separate enrolments. No add-on fees.
★ Flagship
The gold-standard credential for middle managers. Apprentices complete the formal CMI assignment for unit 514 Managing Change,the most natural companion to an AI programme, addressing how to introduce AI into teams and operations. Portable, lifetime, stays on the CV.
Bespoke TESS qualification. Master prompt engineering across ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Gemini and Claude. Apply prompts to forecasting, supply-chain analysis, board reporting and operational decisions.
Microsoft's globally recognised credential. Demonstrates proficiency in Copilot, generative AI tools and enterprise AI adoption frameworks. The badge that travels with your operations leader on LinkedIn and into every boardroom.
Two paired leadership modules per day,immersive, themed, efficient. Every one of the 12 ST0385 modules map into these 8 deeper sessions across 4 dedicated leadership days. Maximum depth, minimum time off the desk. Complimentary for every Operations Leaders apprentice.
Know yourself before you lead anyone else. The mindset, reflection and CPD habits that distinguish a senior leader from a competent middle manager.
Set the direction, prioritise what matters, and make defensible decisions under pressure. The capability that turns a manager into a leader your sponsor trusts.
The two skills middle managers are paid for but rarely formally trained in. Master coaching conversations and goal-setting that genuinely move performance.
Build a team that performs whether you're in the room or not. The team-leadership skills that transfer to every job you'll hold.
Communicate upward to boards, downward to teams, sideways to peers. Build the culture that makes change stick. The skill that turns a smart manager into a respected leader.
Plan, implement and sustain organisational change,whatever the change actually is. The CMI Level 5 Award assignment unit. Complete it and walk out with a chartered qualification on top of the apprenticeship.
Get projects across the line,on time, on budget, and built to last. Project management frameworks plus the sustainability and risk lens every board now expects.
Lead with one eye on the horizon. Professional ethics, governance, regulatory compliance, plus the PESTLE-level external factors reshaping your sector right now.
The ST1512 AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4 apprenticeship curriculum,12 KSB-aligned modules delivered across the programme. The eight leadership modules above are delivered separately and complimentary on top of this.
Induction, AI diagnostic, Coachy & OneFile set up. Every learner benchmarked before Module 1.
Get the team using ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude and Gemini safely and to genuine effect. Shadow-AI risk closed off.
Find the hidden hours across your operation, map them and rank them by which would actually survive automation.
Ship a live, no-code automation that takes a real repetitive job off the operation. Power Automate, Make, Zapier.
Build an AI agent that actually does the work, on your data. Copilot Studio, multi-agent workflows, RAG.
Make the agent safe enough to roll out properly. Guardrails, safety controls, an audit trail IT will approve.
Use operational data safely. UK GDPR, lawful basis, DPIAs, retention rules. The data law your DPO has been waiting for.
Build AI that works for every customer and employee, not just the average one. Bias audited, accessibly designed.
Test it for real, on real data, with the trickier day-to-day situations. Prove results to the board before scaling.
The hardest part of AI is getting people to actually use it. The adoption module the build-only programmes skip.
Walk into the board with a real, credible AI business case. Costed, risk-assessed, ready to defend.
One ambitious AI build, running live across your operation. Plus a Copilot, Gemini & Claude hands-on day. Gateway readiness.
Your operations leaders won't just learn about AI,they'll get hands-on with the exact tools transforming middle management. From Microsoft Copilot and Power BI to Copilot Studio and Power Automate. Plain English, no coding, real operational scenarios.
AI assistant across M365, Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook
OpenAI's flagship model, drafting, analysis, research
Anthropic, deep reasoning, long-context analysis
Google's multimodal AI, Workspace, Sheets, NotebookLM
AI-powered research with cited sources
Google's knowledge-base AI, your docs become an expert
Microsoft's no-code workflow engine
Live operational dashboards,KPIs, forecasts, board reporting
Build custom AI agents for your operations team
Connect 6,000+ apps with no-code automations
Visual scenario builder for complex automations
Self-hostable workflow automation
Enterprise RPA,robotic process automation
Google's no-code app builder for ops teams
AI inside your team's knowledge base
And more: GitHub Copilot · ElevenLabs · Midjourney · Adobe Firefly · Otter.ai · Tableau,we update the toolkit as the AI landscape shifts.
Built on Claude. Scoped to the ST1512 standard, EPA-safe by design. Your operations leaders can ask Coachy questions about decision frameworks, change models, the CMI 514 assignment or board-prep,any time of day. Mobile and desktop.
Lead with risk-adjusted ROI, not capability. CFOs respond to downside protection,frame the AI investment as "what happens if our competitors deploy this and we don't." Then bring the upside case with conservative payback. Want me to draft the opening slide?Designed for any leader between experienced first-line and new senior,whatever your job title, if you lead people and deliver outcomes, this fits. Middle managers running functions, heads of service, operations leaders being asked to lead the AI transition, and newly-promoted directors building strategic muscle.
Councils · NHS trusts · housing associations · public sector
Public-sector leaders using AI to streamline service delivery, reduce backlogs, and make better use of constrained public resources. Build the CMI L5 credential and the AI fluency to lead change across your service area,with the boardroom-ready language to defend the investment.
Across any sector · the heart of every operation
Managers of managers, heads of function, the people running the bit between strategy and delivery. Automate workflows, improve scheduling, use data to drive performance, and hit KPIs consistently,while leading your team through the change.
Private sector · finance · commercial leadership
Use AI for forecasting, customer insights, supply chain efficiency and competitive advantage. Build the strategic frameworks (OGSM, scenario planning) and the executive-communication skills that get your investment cases over the line at board level.
Health · care · community services
Health, care and community service leaders improving outcomes through AI-assisted triage, capacity planning and performance monitoring. Build a CMI-credentialled approach to service redesign,with AI fluency that translates directly into reduced waits, smarter rota planning and tighter governance.
Distribution · fulfilment · transport · planning
Heads of supply chain, logistics directors and distribution managers using AI for demand forecasting, route optimisation, predictive maintenance and quality control. Real ROI on cost reduction (15%+), forecast accuracy (35%+) and cycle time (77% improvement).
Plant managers · production directors · quality leads
Plant managers and production directors overseeing AI-driven quality control, predictive maintenance and OEE improvement. This programme equips you to lead the people side of Industry 4.0,not just the technology, but the team transition that determines whether it sticks.
Operations leads · service directors · BPO managers
Service operations leaders in tech, BPO and professional services using AI to streamline workflows, manage distributed teams and drive utilisation. Build real AI fluency at middle-manager level,not awareness, but the practical skills to apply it confidently in client work.
Network operations · field service · asset management
Energy, utilities and infrastructure leaders managing AI-driven asset performance, predictive maintenance and field workforce optimisation. Lead your function through net-zero, AI and skills transitions,with CMI L5 credibility and the strategic frameworks senior leaders expect.
Working across the UK with: FTSE-listed enterprises · NHS Trusts · local authorities & councils · energy & utilities · manufacturing & logistics · financial services · professional services & consultancies · housing associations · transport operators, sector references available on request.
The only UK provider combining a CMI Level 5 Award in Management & Leadership with the ST1512 AI & Automation apprenticeship,the natural alternative to the defunded Operations / Departmental Manager L5.
| What you get | TESS AI for Ops Leaders L4 + CMI L5 |
Operations Manager L5 (defunded Sep 2026) |
Typical AI provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMI Level 5 Award in Management & Leadership | ✓ | Partial | ✕ |
| Operations-specific content (supply chain, ops ROI) | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| 12 AI & automation modules + 8 leadership modules | ✓ | ✕ | Partial |
| Microsoft AB-730 + NCFE Level 3 AI Prompt | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Chartered, lifetime, portable credential | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Workplace AI project,real board-ready ROI | ✓ | Partial | ✕ |
| Coachy AI tutor,24/7, included free | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Levy-funded from September 2026 onwards | ✓ | Defunded | ✓ |
| No coding · senior-leader-ready content | ✓ | ✓ | Often required |
Levy-funded through the Apprenticeship Levy. Out-of-pocket cost: zero. What you get back: measurable. Real outcomes from AI-ready operations leaders.
The CMI Level 5 sealed it for our procurement team. We needed a chartered credential for our middle managers, and the AI fluency on top is what's actually driving the operational performance. Three of our heads of service have completed it now.
I was promoted from team leader to head of department mid-programme. The strategic planning half-day genuinely got me ready for that step. My CMI 514 change project is now the playbook our exec team uses for every transformation.
My workplace AI project saved us £340k in the first 12 months on forecast accuracy alone. The board now treats AI as core ops budget, not innovation. I wouldn't have got there without the structured strategic thinking the programme drilled into me.
690 verified reviews averaging 4.9/5,exceptional learner satisfaction across every programme.
Independently verified quality. Highest standards of delivery, learner support and outcomes.
Not a bolt-on. Eight deep leadership modules paired across 4 intensive days,every defunded ST0385 module is covered cleanly. CMI 514 Managing Change as the assessed unit.
CMI Level 5 Award, NCFE Level 3 AI Prompt Mastery, and Microsoft AB-730. Plus Coachy AI tutor, unique in the UK.
Three in four TESS apprentices achieve Distinction at EPA. Workplace AI projects that genuinely move ops KPIs,the board sees the ROI.
No coding. No tech background. OGSM, RACI, RAPID, Kotter, ADKAR,the frameworks middle and senior managers genuinely use in board rooms.
Designed for executive sharing. Covers the natural-successor mapping, full 15-module curriculum, leadership half-days, qualifications stack, investment summary and next steps. Plus a QR code straight to a Teams chat with TESS.
Everything HR Directors, L&D Managers and operations leaders need to know about AI for Operations Leaders Level 4 + CMI Level 5.
Yes. The Operations / Departmental Manager Level 5 apprenticeship (ST0385) is among the standards losing apprenticeship funding from September 2026. No direct successor has been announced. AI for Operations Leaders Level 4 + CMI L5 provides the natural alternative,same operational leadership content, plus AI fluency, plus a chartered CMI Level 5 Award, all levy-funded under the live ST1512 standard.
Anyone leading between experienced first-line and new senior. Specifically: middle managers running functions, heads of service, operations managers, service delivery managers, departmental leads. Also experienced team leaders stepping up, and newly-promoted directors and Heads of building strategic muscle with AI fluency from day one. Job title matters less than what you actually do,if you lead people and deliver outcomes, the programme fits.
Paired into four intensive leadership days,two themed leadership modules per day, roughly one full day per quarter. Day 1 (Foundations) covers LM1 + LM2,self-awareness and strategy. Day 2 (People) covers LM3 + LM4,coaching and high-performing teams. Day 3 (Mastery) covers LM5 + LM6,communication, culture and the formal CMI 514 Managing Change assignment. Day 4 (Delivery) covers LM7 + LM8,project delivery and governance. Just 4 dedicated leadership days inside the 15-month apprenticeship. Closed cohorts can flex to face-to-face.
Yes,every one. The 12 taught modules from ST0385 waive cleanly into the 8 new leadership modules. Self-awareness and CPD into LM1. Strategic planning into LM2. Coaching/mentoring and performance into LM3. Performance management depth into LM4. Communication, culture and stakeholders into LM5. Managing change into LM6 (the CMI 514 assessed unit). Project delivery and sustainability into LM7. Ethics, governance, compliance and sector awareness into LM8. We provide a full waiver mapping document for HR and procurement on request.
One unit is formally assessed by the Chartered Management Institute,Unit 514 Managing Change, the most natural companion to an AI programme. It covers planning, implementing and sustaining organisational change as you introduce AI into teams and operations. The other three leadership half-days are delivered by the TESS leadership team but are not CMI assessed,giving learners the full breadth of senior-leadership skills without the assessment burden.
Yes. The programme falls within the £18,000 apprenticeship funding band and is 100% levy-funded through the Apprenticeship Levy. SMEs without a levy account access 95–100% government co-investment. All three qualifications and Coachy AI tutor are bundled in at no extra cost.
Three premium qualifications, all complimentary: CMI Level 5 Award in Management & Leadership (Unit 514 Managing Change, formally assessed), NCFE Level 3 CQ in AI Prompt Mastery (TESS exclusive,covering ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini and Claude), and Microsoft AB-730 AI Business Professional.
All sessions are delivered via live online workshops (Zoom or Microsoft Teams), so your operations leaders can learn from anywhere in England. Face-to-face delivery available for closed cohorts. Monthly starts, flexible cohort sizes,from a single learner to 30+.
This programme is designed for middle to senior managers,the people running functions and being asked to lead the AI transition. It pairs the ST1512 AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4 apprenticeship with the CMI Level 5 Award in Management & Leadership and 4 strategic-leadership half-days. For first-line managers and supervisors, see AI for Team Leaders L4 + CMI L3. For coaches and L&D professionals, see AI for Coaching Professionals L4 + CMI L5.
Levy-funded through the Apprenticeship Levy or government co-investment for SMEs. Give your operations leaders the chartered CMI Level 5 Award, the AI fluency, and the strategic frameworks they need to lead the next decade of work.
Opens our team booking page with a 60-second recommender quiz to match you to the right cohort.
Built on the same ST1512 base + a tailored credential stack. Pick the one that matches your team.
The 12 taught modules from the defunded Operations / Departmental Manager L5 (ST0385) waive cleanly into the new programme, every topic covered. You also get the CMI Level 5 Award in Management & Leadership, NCFE Level 3 AI Prompt Mastery and Microsoft AB-730 as a triple-credential stack. All complimentary.
