Level 5 Apprenticeship Unit
AI Leadership - AI Adoption, Procurement and Governance - Level 5 Apprenticeship Unit
A short apprenticeship unit for employed leaders aged 19 and over with employer support. Learn how to evaluate AI vendors, manage procurement risk, design governance, and support responsible AI adoption.
This is an apprenticeship unit
AI Adoption, Procurement and Governance Unit
This Level 5 apprenticeship unit is for employed leaders who shape, influence, or support decisions about adopting AI systems.
It is not a full apprenticeship. It is a short, targeted unit for rapid upskilling, arranged with employer support.
Who This Unit Is For
This unit is suited to leaders involved in AI adoption, vendor evaluation, business case development, procurement, governance, assurance, or compliance.
It helps you make better decisions before AI tools are adopted at scale.
What You Will Learn
You will build capability in:
- Evaluating AI solutions and vendors using structured criteria
- Making procurement decisions based on testing, benchmarking, and user validation
- Assessing vendor lock-in, data, intellectual property, and sustainability risks
- Designing AI governance frameworks
- Embedding ethical, legal, and regulatory considerations
- Defining assurance, compliance, documentation, and transparency processes
- Designing human oversight mechanisms for AI systems
Eligibility
To join this apprenticeship unit, you must be employed, aged 19 or over, and supported by your employer.
You should be in a leadership position with autonomy to support technological change and inform investment decisions.
Funding and Delivery
This unit has a minimum of 30 delivery hours and maximum funding of GBP750.
Learners complete a provider-delivered skills test as the minimum assessment requirement, and employers validate the result.
Next Step
If your role involves AI procurement, adoption, governance, or assurance, contact our team with your employer to discuss eligibility and delivery options.
Official reference: Skills England AU0010.
Career Outcomes
- ✓Learn while you earn
- ✓No student debt
- ✓Real work experience
- ✓Professional mentorship
- ✓Industry-recognised qualifications
Entry Requirements
- Be aged 16 or over
- Have the right to work in the UK
- Be employed in a genuine job (not in full-time education)
- Commit to a programme lasting a minimum of 12 months, including 20% off-the-job training
- Hold, or be willing to achieve during the apprenticeship, Level 2 English and Maths
- Employed and aged 19 or over
- Employer support required
- Leadership role with autonomy to deliver technological change and inform investment decisions
Government Requirements Information
In practice the government applies one identical eligibility checklist to every apprenticeship, whether it sits at Level 3 or Level 4. The first 5 items above are the only requirements written into the Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funding rules and GOV UK guidance.
GCSEs, A-levels or other academic grades are not mandated by law and can be added (or waived) by individual employers and providers. A policy change will shorten the minimum programme length from 12 months to 8 months for new starts on or after 1 August 2025.