Checked 4 October 2026 against each provider’s own page, Ofsted and GOV.UK. Sources · Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will correct it.
The programme side by side
| Topic | TESS | Corndel |
|---|---|---|
| Programme | AI & Automation Practitioner, Level 4 (ST1512 v2.1) | Automation with AI, on the same standard |
| Who it is for | Non-technical staff in any department who want to build AI and automation into their work, with no coding. | Business professionals who want to create or manage automations that use AI to improve their team’s processes |
| Length | 12 months of training, then a 3-month end-point assessment window. An 8-month fast-track is also available. | 15 months |
| Teaching | A live online workshop each month with the cohort, a skills coach, and Coachy, TESS’s AI tutor, available 24/7 between sessions. | Live and e-learning, interactive workshops and coaching, plus 17 live sessions a year with Imperial College London academics and industry experts |
| Extra qualifications | Three included: BCS Foundation Certificate in AI, Microsoft AI Business Professional (AB-730) or Google AI Essentials, and NCFE AI Prompt Mastery. NCFE Data Analysis and NCFE Cyber Security are optional. | Learners may also earn complementary Microsoft certifications |
| End-point assessment | NQual, an Ofqual-recognised assessment organisation. Results in about five working days on average. | Assessment organisation not named on its page |
| Start dates | Monthly inductions, online. Next: 26 Oct 2026. | Not published on its page |
| Private cohort for your team | From six learners, with HR, marketing and finance editions, or one toolset: Copilot, Gemini or Claude. | Not described on its programme page |
Cost is the same with either provider. The funding band for this apprenticeship is £18,000. Levy payers pay from their levy. Employers who do not pay the levy pay 5% (£900) for apprentices aged 25 and over, and nothing for apprentices aged 16 to 24. How 2026 funding works.
Official ratings
| Topic | TESS | Corndel |
|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | Good overall and Good for apprenticeships (full inspection, June 2025) | Report card, February 2026: strong standard in all five areas, safeguarding met |
| GOV.UK employer reviews, 2025 to 2026 | Good (15 employers) | Excellent (131 employers) |
| GOV.UK apprentice reviews, 2025 to 2026 | Good (21 apprentices) | Excellent (442 apprentices) |
| GOV.UK achievement rate, 2024 to 2025 | 65.6% (118 of 180) | 78.3% (4,322 of 5,520) |
| Apprentices completed since 2019 | 522 | 23,259 |
GOV.UK figures cover every apprenticeship each provider delivers, not this one alone: the AI & Automation Practitioner standard is too new for anyone’s results. National achievement rate for 2024 to 2025: 65.4%. TESS’s own figure: 72% of its apprentices achieved a distinction at end-point assessment across all the standards it delivers (2024 to 2026). GOV.UK does not publish distinction rates, so there is no matching figure for Corndel. Ofsted replaced single overall grades with report cards in November 2025. Inspections since then grade five areas on a five-point scale (exceptional, strong standard, expected standard, needs attention, urgent improvement), so a report card and an earlier overall grade are not on the same scale.
Where TESS is stronger
- Start dates you can plan around. Monthly inductions; the next is 26 Oct 2026. Corndel’s page does not list dates.
- Built for teams. Private cohorts from six, with HR, marketing and finance editions, or one toolset: Copilot, Gemini or Claude.
- More included. Three qualifications as standard (BCS, Microsoft or Google, NCFE) and up to five.
- Line managers brought in. Sessions are in the diary from day one, and each apprentice’s manager gets Coachy Manager Mode.
- A quick result. End-point assessment with NQual, with results in about five working days on average.
Where Corndel is stronger
- Official ratings. Strong standard in every Ofsted area (February 2026), Excellent from 131 employers and 442 apprentices on GOV.UK, and a 78.3% achievement rate, against TESS’s 65.6%.
- Imperial College sessions. 17 live sessions a year with Imperial College London academics and industry experts.
- Scale. 23,259 apprentices completed since 2019, against TESS’s 522.
- Leadership depth. Leadership and management is one of its main subject areas, if you want one provider for both.
Which to choose
Choose TESS if
- You want a fixed start date this quarter
- You are training a team of six or more, or a function such as HR, marketing or finance
- You want extra qualifications included and a fast end-point assessment result
- Your line managers need help backing the apprenticeship at work
Choose Corndel if
- Official ratings are your deciding test: Corndel leads on Ofsted, GOV.UK reviews and achievement
- The Imperial College sessions matter to your people
- You also want leadership apprenticeships from the same provider
Questions to ask both providers
- When are your next start dates, and when do we need to commit?
- Which end-point assessment organisation do you use, and how long do results take?
- Which extra qualifications are included, and who pays the exam fees?
- What do you ask of line managers, and what do you give them to help?
- What are your GOV.UK achievement rate and review scores this year?
- Can you run a private cohort for our team, and from how many people?
Book a 30-minute employer call
We will check eligibility and funding, show you the next start dates, and say so plainly if another provider is the better fit.
Book an employer callFrequently asked questions
Is Corndel rated higher than TESS?
On official measures, yes. Corndel’s February 2026 Ofsted report card graded all five areas strong standard. TESS was graded Good in June 2025, under the earlier framework, so the two are on different scales. On GOV.UK, employers and apprentices rate Corndel Excellent and TESS Good, and Corndel’s achievement rate for 2024 to 2025 was 78.3% against TESS’s 65.6%.
Do TESS and Corndel deliver the same apprenticeship?
Yes. Both deliver the Level 4 AI and Automation Practitioner standard (ST1512). Corndel calls its version Automation with AI. The standard and the funding band are the same; the teaching, timetable, extras and support differ.
Is Corndel cheaper than TESS?
No. The funding band for this apprenticeship is £18,000 with either provider. Levy payers pay from their levy. Employers who do not pay the levy pay 5% (£900) for apprentices aged 25 and over, and nothing for apprentices aged 16 to 24. What differs is the teaching, the timetable, what is included and the support around it.
When does TESS make more sense than Corndel?
When you want a fixed start date soon, want to train a team or a whole function together from six people, want extra qualifications included, or want line managers to have their own support tool. If official ratings decide it, Corndel currently leads.
Sources
- Corndel: Level 4 Automation with AI
- Ofsted: Corndel Limited (report card published 26 March 2026)
- GOV.UK Find apprenticeship training: Corndel Limited
- Ofsted: The Tess Group
- GOV.UK Find apprenticeship training: Training Event Safety Solutions Ltd (TESS)
- GOV.UK: training providers for the AI and automation practitioner (level 4)
- TESS: AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4
All checked on 4 October 2026. Providers change their programmes, so confirm the latest with each provider before you sign.