The UK apprenticeship system is about to change in a way that matters. From April 2026, employers will be able to use their Growth and Skills Levy funds on short, modular training courses called apprenticeship units — and for businesses struggling to close AI, data, and digital skills gaps, this is the reform they've been waiting for.
But what exactly are apprenticeship units? How do they differ from traditional apprenticeships? And with the government announcing a fast-track approval process just days ago, what should employers be doing right now to prepare?
This guide breaks down everything you need to know.
What Are Apprenticeship Units?
Apprenticeship units are formally recognised, short-form training courses extracted from existing national apprenticeship standards. Think of them as individual building blocks pulled from a full apprenticeship qualification and packaged for standalone delivery.
Rather than committing an employee to a 12- to 24-month programme, an employer can now target a specific, high-priority skill area — say, AI literacy or data pipeline engineering — and fund a focused course lasting anywhere from one week to three months.
Each unit is based on the knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) defined within an approved occupational standard, which means these aren't informal workshops or vendor certifications. They carry nationally recognised occupational competence, and credits earned can contribute toward a learner's prior learning record, potentially counting toward a full apprenticeship later.
Key Features of Apprenticeship Units
Modular structure. Each unit covers a discrete set of skills from a broader standard, allowing employers to address precise gaps rather than broad qualifications their teams don't need.
Credit-bearing. Units carry recognised accreditation. An employee who completes an apprenticeship unit in, say, AI workflow automation has a portable credential — not just a certificate of attendance.
Short duration. Delivery ranges from one week to three months, compared to the 12-month minimum of a traditional apprenticeship. For fast-moving fields like artificial intelligence, where the tools and techniques shift quarterly, this compression isn't just convenient — it's necessary.
Levy-funded. From April 2026, apprenticeship units will be fundable through the Growth and Skills Levy, meaning levy-paying employers can draw on the same budget they currently use for full apprenticeships.
Why Apprenticeship Units Matter Now
The timing here is worth paying attention to. The government's Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper (October 2025) didn't introduce apprenticeship units as a tentative idea — it positioned them as central to the UK's skills strategy. The paper states that the first wave of these courses will launch in April 2026 and will be available in critical skills areas: artificial intelligence, digital, and engineering.
It's the most significant structural change to the apprenticeship levy system since its launch in 2017, and it directly addresses two complaints that employers have raised for years.
The first complaint is inflexibility. Under the current system, if a senior data analyst needs to upskill in generative AI techniques, the only levy-funded option is to enrol them in a full apprenticeship — a programme designed for someone entering the profession, not someone who's already five years in. Apprenticeship units solve this by letting employers target the specific competency gap.
The second complaint is speed. Traditional apprenticeships take at least 12 months. In a field where a new large language model architecture can reshape best practices overnight, 12 months of structured training can feel like building a bridge to a bank that's already shifted downstream. A three-month (or shorter) apprenticeship unit keeps training aligned with the pace of technological change.
The £725 Million Reform Package
Apprenticeship units sit within a broader £725 million reform package announced by the government in December 2025, which is expected to create approximately 50,000 additional apprenticeship opportunities for young people over the next three years.
The package also includes the removal of the 5% co-investment requirement for small and medium-sized employers taking on apprentices under 25 — making the full training cost government-funded for eligible apprentices. New foundation apprenticeships are opening up entry routes in sectors like retail and hospitality, and a £140 million pilot with mayoral and local leaders will connect young people not currently in education, employment, or training (NEET) to local apprenticeship opportunities.
For employers, the key takeaway is flexibility. The government is deliberately broadening what levy funds can pay for, moving away from a one-size-fits-all model and toward a system where short courses, modular units, and full programmes coexist. The latest apprenticeship funding rules for 2025 to 2026, updated in December 2025, provide the current regulatory framework underpinning these changes.
Fast-Track Approval Process Announced
On 7 February 2026 — just yesterday, as of this writing — the government announced a new accelerated approval process for apprenticeship updates and short course development, timed to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week.
The headline figure: approval times slashed from 18 months to as little as three months.
Under the current system, when employers and training providers need to update an apprenticeship standard — whether to reflect new safety regulations, emerging technologies, or evolving industry practices — the process of proposing changes, reviewing content, revising assessment plans, and adjusting funding bands can drag on for a year and a half. Skills England, the executive agency that now oversees the development and approval of apprenticeship standards, manages this review process. For sectors like technology, where the landscape shifts in months rather than years, the 18-month timeline has been a serious bottleneck.
The new fast-track process keeps every existing stage intact but expedites each step. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden framed it as a way to ensure apprenticeships keep pace with the industries they serve, stating that the reforms would help young people move into high-quality jobs faster while supporting Britain's growth sectors. As FE Week reported, the Department for Work and Pensions confirmed that every stage of the existing process will remain in place — steps will be expedited rather than removed.
What isn't yet clear is precisely which apprenticeships and courses will qualify for the accelerated track. The DWP has said it is working with employers and Skills England to identify priorities, with a focus on growth sectors and major infrastructure projects. Given that AI and digital skills were explicitly named as priority areas for the first wave of apprenticeship units, it seems likely that technology-related standards will be among the first to benefit.
How Apprenticeship Units Fit Within the Growth and Skills Levy
The mechanics are straightforward. Employers with an annual pay bill exceeding £3 million already pay the apprenticeship levy at 0.5% of their total payroll. Under the reformed Growth and Skills Levy, these funds can be used not only for full apprenticeships but also for apprenticeship units in designated priority areas.
For non-levy-paying employers (typically smaller businesses), the government covers 95% of training costs — and from the next academic year, fully funded apprenticeships will be available for eligible under-25s at SMEs, with the co-investment requirement removed entirely. The apprenticeship service account remains the central mechanism for managing funds, whether you're a levy payer or accessing government co-investment.
The practical implication is that apprenticeship units offer a new, lower-commitment entry point for workforce development. An employer doesn't need to plan a year-long programme or navigate complex assessment structures. They identify a skills gap, select a relevant unit, and fund it through their existing levy account.
This is particularly powerful for AI and data skills, where the gap between what teams know and what they need to know is often narrow but critical. A marketing team that understands data analysis but can't work with AI-powered automation tools doesn't need a Level 4 Data Analyst apprenticeship — they need a focused unit on AI workflow integration.
What Apprenticeship Units Will Look Like in Practice
While the full catalogue of apprenticeship units won't be published until closer to the April 2026 launch, the government has indicated that the first wave will concentrate on three priority areas: artificial intelligence, digital skills, and engineering.
Based on the existing apprenticeship standards these units will be drawn from, expect to see offerings covering areas like applied AI and machine learning, data engineering and analytics, AI governance and ethics, digital product management, cybersecurity fundamentals, and software development practices. A new Level 4 apprenticeship in AI has also been confirmed as part of the broader reforms.
Each unit will be mapped to specific KSBs within an approved occupational standard, ensuring consistency and quality. Training providers approved to deliver these units will need to be listed on the Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR) and demonstrate both technical expertise and the ability to deliver meaningful, workplace-integrated learning within compressed timeframes.
Getting Ready: Providers That Are Already Prepared
One of the practical challenges with any new government programme is lead time. When apprenticeship units go live in April 2026, employers will want providers who can deliver from day one.
This is where Boom Training, owned by Turing College, stands out. Boom Training has already developed AI and data programmes specifically designed to align with the apprenticeship unit model, meaning they'll be ready to deliver as soon as the framework launches.
This isn't a case of hastily adapting existing courses. Turing College has been delivering programmes analogous to apprenticeship units — modular, skills-focused, workplace-integrated training in AI and data — across Lithuania and Germany, where similar flexible upskilling models are already well established. That operational experience translates directly: Boom Training brings a tested pedagogical approach, proven curriculum design, and the infrastructure to support employer-led skills development at pace.
For organisations looking to be among the first to deploy apprenticeship units for their teams — particularly in AI, data science, or digital transformation — Boom Training offers a clear advantage. You can book a call with Boom Training to discuss how their programmes map to your team's specific skills gaps and how to prepare for an April 2026 start.
What Employers Should Do Now
April 2026 is close. Here's what forward-thinking organisations should be doing in the months ahead.
Audit your skills gaps. Before you can select the right apprenticeship units, you need to know precisely where the gaps are. Does your finance team need to understand automated reporting, or does your engineering team need to build and deploy machine learning models? The answers lead to very different units.
Review your levy position. If you're a levy-paying employer, check your current balance and forecast your spending through to April 2026 via your apprenticeship service account. Apprenticeship units will draw from the same pot as full apprenticeships, so planning your allocation now prevents last-minute budget conflicts.
Engage with providers early. The best providers — those with curriculum ready from day one — will fill their cohorts quickly. Starting conversations now, particularly with providers like Boom Training that have already built their AI and data programmes, gives you priority access and time to tailor delivery to your organisation's needs.
Watch for the final catalogue. The government has said it will publish further details on apprenticeship units in due course. Skills England will play a central role in ensuring the offer aligns with employer needs and national priorities. Stay engaged with official GOV.UK apprenticeship guidance for updates.
Consider the fast-track pathway. If your industry has specific skills needs tied to major projects or rapid technological change, the newly announced accelerated approval process could be relevant. Engage with Skills England to signal demand — employer input directly shapes which standards and units get prioritised.
The Bigger Picture
Apprenticeship units represent something more fundamental than a funding mechanism tweak. They signal a philosophical shift in how the UK thinks about workforce development: away from rigid, one-size-fits-all qualifications and toward modular, responsive, employer-driven training.
For AI and digital skills specifically, this shift couldn't come at a better time. The organisations that thrive over the next five years won't be those that hired the most AI specialists — they'll be those that upskilled their existing teams fastest. Apprenticeship units give employers a funded, nationally recognised route to do exactly that.
The framework is coming. The funding is there. And providers like Boom Training are already prepared. The question for employers isn't whether to engage with apprenticeship units — it's how quickly they can start.
Ready to bring apprenticeship units to your team? Book a call with Boom Training to explore AI and data programmes designed for the April 2026 launch.