The UK Government has announced the launch of a new AI apprenticeship scheme to upskill millions of workers in emerging technologies, as research shows jobs directly involving AI are projected to reach 3.9 million by 2035.

Developed by Skills England, the AI and automation practitioner apprenticeship aims to help businesses boost productivity and adopt AI technology safely and responsibly, with a focus on solving real-world problems that slow down growth.

Through the scheme, apprentices will learn to identify where AI and automation can save time, reduce costs and improve performance, for example, by eliminating duplicated data entry and repetitive manual processes.

Beyond technical skills, apprentices will also be trained to safeguard sensitive data, mitigate bias, and operate AI in line with strict regulatory standards.

The new level 4 apprenticeship has been made available to all employers, regardless of what sector they work in, with the first batch of apprentices beginning on the 18-month programme this month.

“We’ve got twelve apprentices starting this month, with a lot more in the pipeline, and the interest and need are the highest we’ve ever experienced,” said Crispin Read, founder of The Coders Guild, a training provider delivering the apprenticeship.

“What excites me most is the potential this creates. AI and automation skills combined with industry experience are a powerful combination, and for SMEs in particular, that’s a genuinely exciting prospect.”

The new apprenticeship is part of a broader government AI skills training programme, which also includes a new apprenticeship unit, rolled into the AI Skills Boost programme. 

These apprenticeship units, delivered alongside major tech companies including Amazon, Google, IBM and Salesforce, are shorter courses, lasting between one and 16 weeks, designed for adults in the workplace to quickly develop knowledge and skills needed in a specific area, and address specific skills gaps.

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Every adult in the UK is eligible to take these courses free of charge, and participants receive digital badges in recognition of their learning.

The courses have been designed in support of the government’s drive to provide 10 million UK workers with essential AI skills by 2030, with previous research from Skills England suggesting that jobs directly linked to AI will rise from just 158,000 in 2024 to almost four million within a decade.

“Through our apprenticeship reforms, we are creating genuine pathways into the high-skilled, high-growth industries that AI is creating – so that a young person’s chances are not determined by their background or where they grew up,” said Pat McFadden, work and pensions secretary.

“The fourth industrial revolution is already underway – our job is to make sure Britain is ready for it.”