AI Apprenticeship

A pilot to support a minimum of 30 young people at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) into AI apprenticeships from September 2026. Offers a direct route for disadvantaged young people into employment in frontier technology. The pilot would target young people identified by schools through the Risk of NEET Indicator (RONI) and support them into AI apprenticeships. Under the proposal, up to 50 selected students would be engaged and enrolled before end of the academic year and thereafter would undertake a four-week summer programme focused on essential workplace communication and basic AI skills before being matched to participating employers. We expect 50% of those enrolled to convert into apprenticeship starts. We would also expect a strong completion rate for the apprenticeship, which typically lasts one year. DSIT is funding the four-week summer programme at a cost of £90k. To secure the apprenticeship places already identified, funding would need to be confirmed by the end of June 2026.