Government-funded · for employees in England
An AI course fully funded by the UK government.
An 8-week, beginner-friendly AI course for employed people — £0 to the learner, around ~£2,250 of funded training value. Delivered live online — or in person at your offices — with Level 5 units and a certificate at the end.
Funded places are claimed through an employer · England-based companies only — the funding doesn't currently cover Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
At a glance
- Cost to learner
- £0 (funded)
- Cost to employer
- £0 — fully funded
- Funded value
- ~£2,250 / learner
- Length
- 8 weeks · 90 guided hours
- Format
- Live online or on-site
- You finish with
- Level 5 units + certificate
- For
- Complete beginners
How the funding works
Free to the learner, paid for by the levy.
It’s funded through the UK Growth & Skills Levy (the renamed Apprenticeship Levy), delivered as three Level 5 AI Leadership units worth around ~£2,250 per learner, claimed through an employer.
Non-levy-paying employer? The government covers 100% — nothing to pay. Pay the levy? It’s drawn from your pot (with a small 5% co-investment only where it applies). Either way, the learner pays nothing.
One limit: it’s England-only. Your company and the learner’s working hours must be based in England — skills funding works differently in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
We handle the platform, content and trainers; our registered training provider partner handles the funding paperwork and certification — far less admin than it sounds.
What you build
Your own “AI operating system”, in four layers
Everyone leaves with a personal system they actually use — built up across the eight weeks as the four C’s.
1. Context
Reusable context files so AI knows your role and stops you re-explaining yourself.
2. Connections
Plug AI into the tools and information you already use every day.
3. Capabilities
Switch on — and build — Skills, Connectors and Plugins that do real tasks.
4. Cadence
Put it on a safe, repeating rhythm so the value keeps coming, hands-off.
The curriculum
Eight weeks, beginner to certified
Three core weeks, a bridge week to assemble your system, two weeks applied to your role, then two weeks to govern it and prove it.
AI Fundamentals & Spotting Opportunities
What generative AI is and isn’t, the tool landscape (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot), hands-on comparison, and “what this means for my job”.
You build: An AI Opportunity Map — 3 real tasks in your job AI could improve.
Context: Prompting & Your AI Context Files
Why context beats the model, prompt frameworks, the “AI interviews you” exercise, and building reusable context files.
You build: A Context Pack — context files + 10 role-specific prompts.
Connections: AI in Real Workflows & Your Tools
What AI can see and reach, capture and knowledge tools, and a live audit redesigning one real work process with AI.
You build: A Workflow Redesign + Tools Map with before/after time saved.
Building Your AI Operating System
Assemble the four layers into one personal system; the Directory of Skills, Connectors and Plugins; your first working Skill; and a safe intro to agentic AI.
You build: A working personal AI operating system with one live Skill.
AI for Your Function I: Core Applications
Pick your track and apply your AI operating system to the high-value tasks of your job, with role-specific templates and tools.
You build: One real, role-relevant output (e.g. a sales call-prep assistant).
AI for Your Function II: Advanced & Automation
Automation tools (Zapier / Make / n8n), supervised agentic AI for real tasks, and AI-assisted data analysis on a safe rhythm.
You build: One advanced/automated role output — a multi-step automation or analysis.
Ethics, GDPR & Responsible AI
Spotting bias, GDPR and what never to share, copyright & IP, governance frameworks, the EU AI Act, and governing agentic AI.
You build: A draft AI Use Policy for your organisation or role.
Capstone: Build Your AI-Powered Solution
Present your assembled AI operating system, structured feedback, the final assessment, and a personal “stay-current” routine.
You build: Your capstone + completed evidence for provider sign-off.
Weeks 5–6 — choose your role track:
Plus an optional “What does this mean for my job?” session — enrichment, outside the funded hours.
What you walk away with
A real, Level 5 qualification
You earn three Level 5 AI Leadership units (degree-equivalent), plus a trainrs.ai certificate for your LinkedIn profile.
- ✓AU0009 — AI Strategy
- ✓AU0010 — AI Governance
- ✓AU0011 — AI Delivery
Who does what
The Level 5 units are awarded, delivered and certified by our registered training provider partner, an APAR-registered provider. trainrs.ai supplies the platform, content and trainers — we don’t award the units ourselves.
Being government-funded, this version runs under the provider’s Ofsted-regulated framework, with formal Level 5 assessment and evidence the commercial course doesn’t carry. Course name, provider and assessment specifics are confirmed at enrolment.
What’s expected of you
Funded means you finish — and that’s the point.
A real, funded qualification comes with a few requirements — which is exactly why it works: live, supported cohorts complete at 85–96%, versus the ~15–20% who finish a self-paced course alone.
- ✓ Attend the live sessions. At least 6 of the 8 weekly 3-hour live sessions.
- ✓ Do the weekly builds. Complete at least 6 of 7 weekly build challenges on your own work.
- ✓ Present your capstone. A short final presentation, graded Pass / Merit / Distinction.
- ✓ Pass the final assessment. A 90-minute, open-book written assessment (70% to pass).
- ✓ Employer sign-off. Your employer validates your evidence for the funded units.
Eligibility
Who qualifies for the funded place
Most employed people do. To take a funded place you need to be:
- Employed by a UK employer, with a contract and a line manager
- Aged 19 or older
- Spending at least 50% of your working hours in England
- Holding eligible UK / settled residency status
- Not already holding most of this qualification
Self-employed, or an owner-director without a line manager? The funded route won’t fit — but some cases are borderline, so tell us your situation and we’ll advise. A commercial version of the course is also available (without the funded certification).
Questions about the funding?
Ask — there's no obligation and no paperwork at this stage. We'll explain exactly how it works for your company.
Enquire about the funded course
Get the next funded cohort’s dates
Tell us whether you’re enrolling yourself or your team. We’ll confirm eligibility, the next dates, and exactly what your employer needs to do — usually very little.
Thanks — we’ve got it
We’ll confirm eligibility, the next cohort dates and your employer’s (small) next step by email within one working day.
Questions
Questions about the funded course
Delivered with our registered training provider partner. Not sure if you qualify? See the eligibility criteria or just ask us.
Is it really free?
Yes — £0 to you. It’s fully funded through the UK Growth & Skills Levy (the renamed Apprenticeship Levy), worth around ~£2,250 of funded training per learner. You don’t pay anything; it’s claimed through your employer.
Do I need any technical background?
None at all. It’s built for complete beginners — managers, ops, HR, finance, sales and marketing people. If you can use email and a browser, you can do this.
How much time does it take?
Eight weeks: one 3-hour live session a week plus roughly 8 hours of guided, self-paced work — about 90 guided learning hours in total.
Remote, or at our offices?
Both options work. By default it’s 100% remote, delivered live online — nothing you have to travel to. For a full team cohort we can also run the live sessions in person at your offices; just tell us when you enquire.
What do I get at the end?
Three Level 5 AI Leadership units (awarded by our registered training provider partner) and a trainrs.ai course certificate you can add to your LinkedIn profile.
What roles is it for?
Anyone who wants to become their team’s “AI champion”. In Weeks 5–6 you pick a track: Sales, Marketing & Content, HR & People, Operations & Finance, or General / Leadership.
What if I’m self-employed?
The funded route needs an employer and a line manager, so sole traders and owner-directors aren’t eligible for it — but our commercial course covers the same material (without the Level 5 assessment and certification). Take a look at the paid option instead.
We’re based in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland — can we use it?
Not on this funding, unfortunately — it’s England-only (skills funding is devolved and works differently elsewhere in the UK). The commercial version of the course is available everywhere.
Who delivers and certifies it?
It’s delivered and certified by our registered training provider partner, an APAR-registered training provider. trainrs.ai supplies the platform, the content and the trainers.
£0 to the learner. Funded by the levy. Real Level 5 units.
An 8-week AI course — live online or on-site at your offices — for employed beginners in England, fully funded by the UK government and delivered with an APAR-registered provider.