Employers

So, it’s no surprise that 65% of respondents to McKinsey’s latest global survey say their organisations are regularly using GenAI. It’s also driving demand for new workforce skills – last year saw a 2,000% surge in roles demanding generative AI skills, with organisations of all stripes keen to tap into the vast potential productivity benefits.

However, even with most businesses deploying AI in some capacity, only 13% of employees have been offered AI training by their employers.

Successfully implementing AI in the workplace is not as simple as buying a popular tool and expecting employees to adapt. To get the most value from these technologies, workforces need skills – both technical and soft.

But as it stands, there’s a significant lack of AI skills in the workplace. According to our research, almost half of leaders (45%) point to AI as their most significant skill gap.

If businesses want to leave the experimentation phase and begin to define their unique AI use cases, they’ll need employees who can use AI productively and with minimal risk.

Here are the top 10 skills we believe employees need to effectively implement artificial intelligence in the workplace:

1. Data engineering

A crucial early step in any AI implementation journey is building and maintaining robust data infrastructure. This is responsible for collecting, storing, and processing the large volumes of data AI needs to be trained on.

As such, organisations need employees with data engineering skills. They help organise and clean data, so the datasets fed to AI models are high-quality and relevant. This means the models deliver the most reliable insights, and also helps ensure data integrity, which is important for regulation compliance.

2. Data analysis and visualisation

Once you have access to clean data, it needs to be interpreted to extract meaningful insights. Data analysis skills help employees identify trends, patterns, and correlations within complex datasets so they can make data-driven business decisions.

But it’s equally important for a variety of stakeholders to be able to understand data insights. Data visualisation skills go hand-in-hand with data analysis, helping employees convert raw data into graphical representations – such as charts, graphs, and dashboards – that make it easy for others to digest at a glance.

3. Data science and programming

To go from insights to action, you need data science skills. These allow staff to develop, deploy and maintain AI systems as businesses begin building their own unique AI solutions.

Programming skills are also vital. The capacity to create efficient and scalable code in languages such as Python, C++ and Java is key when it comes to integrating AI models into existing business systems and workflows.

4. Risk management and ethics

Once a business starts implementing AI models, it needs employees capable of creating comprehensive risk management frameworks. These skills will help ensure the long-term success of AI projects by supporting employees to better identify, assess and mitigate risks, such as data breaches and algorithm biases.

However, AI initiatives will only truly be sustainable if the business continues to use it responsibly. Employees should also know how to uphold privacy and accountability, as well as minimise bias within the models they work with.

5. Planning and stakeholder management

Successful AI initiatives are connected to larger organisational objectives. This is why every business needs a plan – or several – for implementation. Training employees on how to set realistic milestones, identify potential challenges and create contingency plans is critical from idea to execution.

Alongside planning skills, stakeholder management is an important factor in the success of any AI project.

Ideally, all stakeholders should be aligned when working on AI projects, but this isn’t always the case. Skills in stakeholder management can help foster clear lines of communication between execs, employees, customers and regulators. This way, concerns can be quickly addressed and expectations managed.

6. Business analysis

One common challenge for the AI strategy leaders we speak to is ensuring that AI solutions are designed and implemented to directly solve specific business problems.

Employees with business analysis skills help ensure AI solutions are grounded in business needs and directly linked to desired outcomes, such as process optimisation or cost reduction. By assessing pain points and workflows, businesses can align AI solutions to problems and deliver the most successful AI initiatives.

7. Solution design

To gain the most value, it’s rarely a case of selecting an AI tool straight off the shelf. Custom-built solutions enable organisations to get more from AI, with use cases specific to their business needs.

Ideally, the employees using an AI solution in their everyday tasks should be involved in its design. But without training, this can be challenging to navigate.

Skills in solution design support employees to build tailored AI use cases based on their business analysis. They can seamlessly embed AI into existing workflows and identify new opportunities to scale AI initiatives, ensuring that AI solutions deliver sustained value as business needs change.

8. Machine learning

Machine learning (ML) skills help empower employees to create and implement models, analyse data, and evaluate their performance. Together, these streamline business processes and minimise the amount of tedious work for humans.

One step further is deep learning – a subset of ML – which uses multiple layers of neural networks to model complex patterns in datasets. ML skills can help businesses develop unique AI initiatives for image and speech recognition, natural language processing (NLP) and predictive analytics.

9. Cloud infrastructure

As you begin to roll out more AI initiatives, it will become increasingly important to have reliable, flexible access to the cloud’s vast computational power and storage.

Cloud infrastructure skills can help businesses better manage usage and enhance accessibility and collaboration across the entire organisation. And, as many cloud platforms have AI tools built in, employees with these skills can be instrumental in progressing a business’ AI efforts.

10. Strategic thinking and leadership

It’s not enough to only develop AI literacy among employees – business leaders should also understand AI initiatives. That way, they can strategically guide projects to make sure they are aligned with long-term goals.

By creating a compelling vision for AI and securing buy-in from stakeholders, effective leaders can foster an internal culture that embraces AI.

Employee training can accelerate AI progress

Demand for AI skills will likely continue to outpace supply in the near future. The competition for talent is fierce, but it doesn’t always need to be sourced externally.

Leveraging training opportunities to improve existing employees’ AI literacy not only removes the stress of recruitment, but also demonstrates the business is invested in the development of its current staff.

Once a workforce has the right mix of skills to get the most from AI, businesses will be able to deliver impactful change while improving or maintaining a competitive edge.

To get started on your workforce upskilling and reskilling journey, check out our AI training solutions for businesses.

The new apprenticeship will equip staff members with increased technical skills and broader knowledge to more confidently navigate the data landscape and use data better within their jobs.

The intention is that this more effective use of information across the company will help improve handling of disruption, enhance customer feedback analysis, streamline information processing and help the prioritisation and delivery of service improvements shaped directly by passenger feedback and performance data.

The apprenticeship marks the latest step in Greater Anglia’s drive to upskill its workforce via learning and apprenticeship opportunities, which it offers to all its employees regardless of age or where they are in their careers. The company, which operates trains across East Anglia, has seen over 260 employees complete apprenticeships across all areas of the business since 2017.

This new apprenticeship began this summer. Greater Anglia initially enrolled seven staff from its Safety, Security & Sustainability, Commercial and Train Service Delivery departments. A second cohort will begin the specialist training later this month from Greater Anglia’s Retail Systems, Train Service Delivery, Procurement, Safety, Security & Sustainability and Engineering departments.

Training is being delivered by Multiverse, a tech company delivering high-quality training through applied learning. Multiverse has trained more than 16,000 apprentices in data and digital skills since 2016.

Following a skills assessment by Multiverse, a total of six employees will undertake the Data Insights for Business Decisions programme. This will equip the group with the technical skills and knowledge to confidently navigate the data landscape. Nine other employees will complete the 13-month Data Fellowship. This is a level-4 apprenticeship designed to upskill data-literate colleagues into high-performing analysts and data science professionals. The final course, which will be undertaken by two employees, is the degree-level Advanced Data Fellowship, giving them enhanced skills and tools to build data analytics capabilities within the organisation and use data to inform decision-making.

Mark McClure, Marketing and Digital Analyst, who is undertaking the level 4 data fellowship course, said:

“The apprenticeship has made me think about how we use data and will improve the reports I create.

“I have already learnt a lot within the first two modules regarding analysis and management and look forward to enhancing my skills in data visualisation.”

Leon Kong, Data Strategy Manager at Greater Anglia said:

“Data is integral to Greater Anglia’s aspirations to continually give people greater journeys.

“This partnership with Multiverse offers a valuable opportunity for our colleagues to deepen their data expertise, driving forward our capabilities and operational efficiency.”

Viktorija Novikova, Early Careers and Apprenticeships Manager at Greater Anglia said:

“The apprenticeship partnership with Multiverse opens up the world of improving our data use and making our colleagues data experts for the first time in a structured way.

“We offer apprenticeships to all colleagues that are relevant to their work as part of continuous career development and talent succession planning and this opportunity is the latest step in this. We are excited to see the results in the coming months from everyone on the course.”

Multiverse is a tech-first institution that combines work and learning to unlock economic opportunities for everyone. It works with more than 1,500 organisations to close critical skill gaps in the workforce in AI, data and tech, through a new kind of apprenticeship.

Gary Eimerman, Chief Learning Officer at Multiverse said:

“This partnership marks an opportunity for Greater Anglia to lead across the industry, as it looks to utilise data for better service provision and environmental credentials.

"We’re excited to work with the team as we collaboratively integrate data skills into a business relied on by millions daily for environmentally conscious, reliable travel.”

The AI Academy is part of a drive from Capita to grow client satisfaction, alongside developing a team of AI-literate specialists who can provide ethical counsel in the area.

The training will be delivered by Multiverse, a tech company delivering high-quality training through applied learning, to Capita colleagues delivering for clients across both its Public Service and Customer Experience divisions. Multiverse has trained more than 16,000 apprentices in data and digital skills since 2016.

Each of the Capita employees will undergo a 13-month ‘AI for Business Value’ level-4 apprenticeship programme, which trains people in identifying business value gains that can be achieved through using AI, and how to execute AI projects ethically.

In addition to the establishment of a leading AI-focused taskforce across the business, Capita hopes to reduce manual processes that will improve accuracy and allow colleagues to focus on performance-driving activity that is conducive to greater career satisfaction.

The 100-strong team of AI apprentices will also be deployed to unlock new correlative understandings between data and impact and implement a culture of continuous improvement in all areas.

Adolfo Hernandez, CEO of Capita, said: “We are committed to delivering high-quality customer experiences, driven by passionate and high-skilled employees, and we’re confident that our AI Academy partnership with Multiverse will allow us to elevate both.

“Every business is looking to step ahead of the AI curve, but ensuring a business does so ethically and responsibly requires people-centred initiatives and knowledge, which we believe will be delivered and deployed with our new apprentices.”

The partnership is the latest in a series of new initiatives by Capita to enhance its AI capability, improve its offering in the market, and upskill colleagues in the use of AI technology.

Olivia Lory Kay, Director of Performance and Partnering, joined the programme in June. She said: “I’ve been impressed by the depth and rigour of the programme, which takes a targeted, practical approach to delivering AI for business value with plenty of pivot points to expand thinking and stretch horizons, including my own career development. We have some brilliant capability in our cohort and the opportunity to share knowledge and thinking is already sparking ideas for new applications.”

Scott Hill, Chief People Officer at Capita, said: “We know the skills needed to succeed in the workplace are undergoing a huge transformation, and we want to work in tandem with our people to ensure they're equipped to thrive in this new world.

“Enabling access to world-class training in AI is just one of the ways we ensure our teams have the skills and capabilities not only to thrive in their role, but to drive forward their careers.

“We all take value from learning new skills, and I can't wait to see the benefits our colleagues will see from this programme."

Multiverse is a new tech-first institution that combines work and learning to unlock economic opportunity for everyone. It works with more than 1,500 organisations to close critical skill gaps in the workforce in AI, data and tech, through a new kind of apprenticeship.

Euan Blair, CEO at Multiverse said: "Capita plays a crucial role across a number of core sectors, who are reliant on its capabilities and services. By equipping teams with AI skills and confidence, Capita and its clients are ideally placed to harness the potential of ethical, accurate and efficiency-boosting AI.”

Starting in September, the training will be delivered by Multiverse, a tech company delivering high-quality training through applied learning. Multiverse has trained more than 16,000 apprentices in data and digital skills since 2016.

Programmes will include the 13-month ‘AI for Business Value’ programme which trains apprentices to identify business value gains that can be achieved through using AI, giving apprentices the skills to leverage AI responsibly to drive business outcomes.

The degree-level Advanced Data Fellowship will empower apprentices to become leaders in data analysis and data science. Apprentices will build core capabilities in areas like statistical testing, data ethics, predictive modelling as well as data security - and will graduate with a BSc degree at the end of their programme.

The new Data Academy will train colleagues from a number of Mencap’s business functions, including Finance, IT, People, Quality, CEO Office, Governance, Communications, Advocacy and Activism, and Fundraising.

Jackie O'Sullivan, Executive Director of Strategy at Mencap said: “Investing in data skills isn’t just for big business, it’s pivotal for navigating the dynamic landscape in the Third Sector too. This new Data Academy will harness Multiverse’s expertise in critical areas such as AI and data literacy and develop our team’s skills. This will not only improve our business practices and help drive efficiency at scale, but it also represents a strategic investment in the skills of our colleagues that will support the attraction and retention of skilled and valued colleagues.”

Multiverse is a new tech-first institution that combines work and learning to unlock economic opportunity for everyone. It works with more than 1,500 organisations to close critical skill gaps in the workforce in AI, data and tech, through a new kind of apprenticeship.

Gary Eimerman, Chief Learning Officer at Multiverse said: "The effective use of data and AI has the potential to radically transform organisations. For a charity like Mencap, this could not only increase the number of people, families and carers that they can support through their exceptional services, but it’s also an investment in their employees: enriching the career trajectories of the team at Mencap.”

By building critical digital, data and AI skills in-house, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust aims to reduce time spent on manual processes, enhance data-driven decision making, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

The Academy will see more than 100 Trust colleagues trained on professional apprenticeships, across a diversity of job roles and functions. Frontline medical and clinical colleagues have enrolled on the programmes, as well as team members working in IT, quality assurance, administration and finance.

Apprenticeships will be delivered by the tech company Multiverse, best-in-class training in data analysis, visualisation and interpretation. Learners will be enrolled on the company’s new ‘AI for Business Value’ programme that will equip learners with the ability to drive improvement through the use of AI.

The training is fully funded by the Apprenticeship Levy.

Meera Nair, Chief People Officer at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, said: "I am thrilled to announce the launch of our Data & Digital Academy. This initiative empowers our employees with the skills to make better data-driven decisions, positively impacting the patients we serve, saving time in their day, and developing into the practitioners of the future.

“By unlocking the value of data, we aim to improve patient and community outcomes, both directly and indirectly. Our goal is to enable data-driven decision making to improve pathways, drive efficiencies and identify opportunities. We are committed to building a data and digital-first organisation and are thrilled to have Multiverse support us on this journey."

Alice Long, Apprenticeships Lead at the Trust, said: “We are excited to launch the Data and Digital Academy, a transformative partnership with Multiverse, which will help us empower our staff with the data and AI skills to drive cutting-edge healthcare decision making. Our aim is to for our colleagues to have the skills to help them transform the way they work, deliver best in class patient care and foster innovation at the Trust."

Since 2020, Multiverse has partnered with over 60 different NHS bodies, and more than 1000 NHS employees have enrolled on Multiverse programmes. Research by the company has found that UK employees working in healthcare are spending more time on data tasks than any other sector, but 29% of that time is spent unproductively.

Euan Blair, CEO of Multiverse, said: "I could not be prouder of our work with the NHS, where enhanced skills in data and AI have the potential to save lives, and better support patients and communities.

"Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust has recognised that emerging tech and data have the potential to help clinicians treat more patients, more reliably - improving outcomes and helping all of us lead healthier lives. The Data and Digital Academy will drive skills that will serve both their colleagues and patients for years to come."

The programmes aim to equip team members from various business functions with advanced, industry-relevant data capabilities.

Programmes will be delivered by the tech company Multiverse and include the Advanced-Data Fellowship. In this degree-level program, participants will develop skills in areas like statistical testing, data ethics, predictive modelling, and data security.

Staff are enrolled on the 15-month Data Fellowship which focuses on comprehensive training in data analysis, where they will master data wrangling and analysis techniques.

The Data & Insights For Business Decisions programme is a 13-month course designed to impart both core technical skills required to transform data into insights and softer skills such as building narratives and presenting findings.

These programmes are launched to improve data-driven decision-making at Hyde and promote efficiency within the business. The programmes will also boost the skills of apprentices who are enrolled.

Multiverse is a tech company delivering high-quality education and training through a unique professional apprenticeship model. It offers apprenticeships targeted in areas including software engineering and data analytics.

Neal Ackcral, Chief Operating Officer at Hyde said: “Using data more effectively will undoubtedly help us improve our service for customers. Understanding their needs and working more efficiently will ultimately help us do more for them. It will also help build a more positive data culture throughout our organisation and support those who wish to enhance their data skills.”

Gary Eimerman, Chief Learning Officer at Multiverse, said: "Our partnership with Hyde is driving data skills transformation throughout their ranks. With this apprenticeship programme, Hyde Housing is not only investing in operational efficiency, they're also enriching the career trajectories of its team members. It's a solid step towards a more data-driven housing industry."

The UK is home to some of the world’s most prestigious universities, leading education, research and innovation on a global stage.

However, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are grappling with data skills gaps in the workforce – so much so that qualitative research from WONKHE and Advance HE reported the sector is facing ‘a crisis in data skills.’

This shortage of data skills can undermine student outcomes, hold back progress and result in universities falling short of the expectations of students, funders and even regulatory bodies.

So, what can universities do?

By improving data skills, university leaders can make better data-driven decisions and promote the best outcomes for students and staff.

In this article, learn how universities can close the HEI skills gap and address challenges in higher education with employee upskilling.

Digital transformation presents new challenges and opportunities to universities

Digital transformation has made higher education more reliant on data to optimise processes and inform decision-making.

However, there are data skills shortages in the workforce. And extensive recordkeeping requirements for enrolment, academic histories and research data make it challenging for HEIs to streamline data management. Staff are often left trying to manage complex data environments without the required skill sets.

As a result, the opportunity to make university workforces more productive through digital transformation has not yet been realised. By building workforce data skills, university leaders can improve data quality and how it is used.

Democratising data skills

One of the largest barriers to success is the culture around data skills. Currently, most workplaces view data as the domain of a ring-fenced IT department. It’s not usually a priority to train the wider workforce in data literacy.

However, to run a modern university, data skills are needed across departments.

Upskilling in the workforce spreads skills and increases knowledge sharing across the organisation. By boosting data literacy, capabilities can sit across every function, rather than just a time-poor IT team.

The business case for upskilling university workforces

Data upskilling programmes enable teams to build internal capability without relying solely on expensive hiring drives. This way, HEIs can improve the ways they work not only for enterprise-level ‘big data’ solutions but for everyday activities too.

For example, administrative staff may introduce automation for data processing tasks they would usually perform manually

When staff feel greater ownership over data, they become more interested in finding areas to apply it. Over time, an upskilled university workforce can build better services for students without relying on the IT team as an island of data skills. These are some of the key benefits:

Upskilling creates new opportunities for staff

According to higher education think tank HEPI, members of the GuildHE group saw their student-staff ratio double from 8.3 to 17 between 2014 and 2021. Many HEIs face high employee turnover rates that make it difficult to provide the best quality of service, and at the same time, could damage remaining employees’ work-life balance.

Improving data skills can create new progression paths for employees and increase retention. By building their capabilities, staff become empowered to get the most from their technology, feel more satisfied at work, and are more likely to remain in their jobs.

Upskilling underpins a better student experience

Data skills enable universities to understand student needs and make data-driven decisions to improve experience. Students become more engaged, leading to higher levels of satisfaction – and better National Student Survey (NSS) scores.

As a metric used by many prospective students to decide whether a university is right for them, improving student satisfaction can also improve future enrolment levels.

Upskilling enables optimised resource allocation

As declining international student applications force universities to stretch budgets further, upskilling teams to leverage data-driven insights can be help to improve how existing resources and talent are used. HEIs can also draw on their Apprenticeship Levy funds to pay for the cost of training at no commercial cost to staff or the university. Find out more and read our guide to the Apprenticeship Levy here.

How Goldsmiths University unlocked new benefits from closing skills gaps

Multiverse helps universities build digital skills in the workforce through dedicated upskilling apprenticeship programmes.

Goldsmiths, University of London, partnered with Multiverse and invited staff across all functions to enrol in the Data Academy. Here, they learn skills including analytics, AI and predictive modelling that can assist with their day-to-day tasks.

Throughout the programme, employees at Goldsmiths learned how to:

• Build a data culture – upskilling has empowered individuals across the organisation to become ‘digital professionals’, reducing their reliance on the IT department.
• Create new efficiencies –teams at Goldsmiths have optimised internal processes using skills learned on the programme, streamlining workflows like manual data entry.

David Minahan, Chief Information Officer at Goldsmiths, said:

“Since beginning with the Data Academy, we’ve felt the benefit of improved day-to-day data capabilities across the organisation. Individuals have started thinking in ways they wouldn’t have before, identifying opportunities and working on achieving the outcome themselves.

"For example, I recently spoke to one of my colleagues in the accommodation department, who used to have to transpose data from one spreadsheet to another and into a system on a regular basis. He’s now developed a Python script to automate this.

"Everyone has their own example of a piece of automation that has helped them to streamline their tasks. You’re creating a more efficient organisation, and that starts with individuals.”

Upskilling the workforce at your university

Data skills have transformed how staff at Goldsmiths work, take ownership of data, and provide the best possible experiences for students.

Learn more about how Multiverse can support your university to identify skills gaps and build new opportunities through apprenticeship programmes.

AI is here to stay, and holds real potential for businesses and employees that know how to use it. It’s likely your teams are already using AI to improve workflows or efficiencies, and you might have employees experimenting with AI tools on-the-job.

But the skills needed to leverage the technology to its full potential don’t begin and end with prompt engineering. For AI usage to be effective and strategic there are other skills employees can build – and will likely need very soon for organisations to remain competitive.

That’s because the increasing use of AI in the workplace has arrived hand-in-hand with an ever-pressing skills gap. In fact, nearly half (45%) of leaders name AI as their most significant skills shortage, according to our Preparing for the AI Revolution report – one that must be addressed if businesses are to get the most value from the technology.

Here are four things your team needs to understand to drive real value with AI, this year and beyond:

How to collect, clean, and prepare data

AI has exciting potential applications for data analysis. It can help businesses quickly transform large datasets into actionable insights and predictions, and increase the speed and accuracy of data-driven decision-making. But the ability to drive real value comes from the state of your data.

Before everything else, data must be collated, cleaned and prepared for analysis. Only then can it support AI use cases effectively and deliver the outcomes businesses want and need.

For this to be possible, upskilling your teams in core data skills is vital. Whether that’s understanding the data lifecycle in relation to AI or being able to evaluate your organisation’s data infrastructure effectively, it’s about making sure your teams are skilled in the fundamentals of AI and data.

If your employees are struggling to get to grips with the data that underpins your AI tools, check out our beginner’s guide to data analysis methods here.

How to experiment with AI safely and ethically

As businesses implement new AI-enabled solutions, processes and policies need to evolve, to help employees navigate the application of these emerging technologies.

Setting out clear guidance is the first step towards helping employees understand the organisation's stance on AI and any approved tools they can use to experiment.

Adhering to this guidance is fundamental. But, employees today must also know how to identify ethical risks and considerations in AI applications themselves. That means having the skills to mitigate biases and risks associated with AI.

Upskilling employees to be able to experiment with AI safely and ethically will help to arm your organisation with technically minded individuals. Ones that can take advantage of opportunities while also implementing fair, transparent and accountable practices in AI algorithms and decision-making.

How to identify opportunities for AI

There’s a lot of potential for skilled employees to deeply understand business needs. From aligning AI solutions directly to business problems, to optimising processes and implementing AI projects that deliver on tangible business impact – and ROI.

But the fundamentals of business analysis with AI require employees to apply different techniques, approaches and understandings to a variety of scenarios. For example, being able to conduct comprehensive analyses of internal and external business environments to gain strategic insights. Or the ability to surface business pains and gather input on potential solutions from key stakeholders.

Being able to spot opportunities for AI means having employees in-house who are skilled in not only evaluating the state of your business, but also in understanding its needs.

How to manage and communicate organisational change around AI

Whether it’s the ability to identify opportunities or implement new solutions, extending AI use throughout your organisation is vital for driving future progress.

But managing change through AI initiatives isn’t simple.

Communicating critical information about AI projects to technical and non-technical stakeholders is an ongoing challenge for those using data and AI in their everyday roles. But it’s inherently important to the overall success of AI usage in your organisation.

For instance, being able to effectively describe the process for taking an AI project from idea to implementation is vital to secure buy-in from key stakeholders across the business. Or the ability to identify different models for ways of working on AI projects that enable teams to collaborate more efficiently.

While communication is typically considered a ‘soft skill,’ it’s fundamental to delivering ROI and measuring the business impact of AI initiatives effectively.

If you’re looking to upskill your employees with soft skills training, check out our article here.

Drive business value with AI

Check out our AI for Business Value programme and help your team leverage AI responsibly to drive business outcomes.

In its current form, the Apprenticeship Levy is a tax on UK employers, with funds exclusively earmarked for apprenticeships training. Labour’s goal is to broaden its use – creating more opportunities for adults in the UK to gain new skills.

There’s still a lot we don’t know about the future of the Growth and Skills Levy. But, to help employers unpack what a reformed Levy could mean for their business, here’s what we know so far:

What we know about the Growth and Skills Levy

The goal to reform the Apprenticeship Levy into the new Growth and Skills Levy sits at the heart of Labour’s mission to boost skills in the UK. As a key manifesto commitment, Labour plans to broaden flexible access to adult training in the hope that it will open up opportunities for growth across the workforce.

The intention of the reform is not to reduce the number of apprenticeships, but to increase flexibility. Eventually, the new Levy could allow businesses to spend some of their Levy contributions on non-apprenticeship training, with a portion still reserved for apprenticeships.

So far, the Government has not announced any non-apprenticeship training. Instead, they have announced new ‘Foundation Apprenticeships’. These are targeted at young people, with the goal of providing a broad curriculum and developing both employability and job-specific knowledge skills. The first seven foundation apprenticeships will be available from August 2025, with more likely to follow.

To support this change, employers will be asked to fund more of their Level 7 apprenticeships outside of the Levy. From January 2026, new Level 7 apprentices will only be eligible for levy funding if they are aged 16-21.

A new minimum duration for apprenticeships has also been announced. Apprenticeships can now be as short as 8 months, provided they still meet specific requirements. If you are interested in learning more about these changes, please reach out to a member of the team.

What is Skills England?

The Government has also created a new agency, ‘Skills England’, with the functions of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) transferring to Skills England in June 2025.

Skills England will develop a single picture of national and local skills requirements, bringing together businesses, providers, unions, Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and national government to assess the skills the economy needs.

Skills England will also shape the future of the Growth and Skills Levy, holding a list of approved qualifications and training that businesses will be able to spend Levy money on. The list will be developed in collaboration with businesses and experts.

What could this mean for employers?

Labour’s mission statement refers to the vital need for upskilling and training – alongside apprenticeships – to meet the needs of developing technology in the workplace.

Under the current system, Apprenticeship Levy-paying employers are only using 55.5% of available funds, on average.

By creating more flexibility over how the money is spent, the new Growth and Skills Levy could help some employers utilise a greater proportion of their Levy funds – with training that meets specific business needs and skills gaps. For example, it could provide an opportunity to level-up teams with shorter courses in technical skills, such as AI and data. These are vital areas that will be necessary for future business success and to maintain a competitive edge.

This isn’t just beneficial for employers. Employees also stand to benefit from increased investment in training opportunities – being empowered to learn new skills and feeling valued by their company. For employees, upskilling means opportunities to continuously learn and progress in their roles – which also helps improve retention. In fact, we see 94% of individuals remain at their employer beyond their Multiverse apprenticeship.

What do employers need to consider now?

The Growth and Skills Levy is a commitment from the Labour Party to upskilling employees. Fundamentally, the new policy should not change how employers should think about their investment in training: through the lens of increasing employees’ access to gain in-demand skills.

The Multiverse view

With careful implementation, new opportunities could be created for all workers across the economy – delivering ROI for employers and supporting a culture of work-based lifelong learning.

And while we don’t have all the answers just yet, the key to making a reformed Levy successful will be in making sure it's designed with the support and expertise of employers.

Read more about our perspective on the new Levy in our Skills Mission Report.
Want to speak to us about the Levy or other ways to support upskilling in your workplace? Get in touch.

Last updated: 12 June 2025

The programmes aim to equip team members from various business functions with advanced, industry-relevant data capabilities.

Programmes will be delivered as apprenticeships, by the tech company Multiverse, and include the Data Fellowship, a 15-month level 4 apprenticeship programme delivering best-in-class training in data analysis. Learners will master data analysis techniques as well as data science, Python and an introduction to machine learning.

The Data & Insights for Business Decisions programme, meanwhile, is a 13-month level 3 apprenticeship course designed to impart both core technical skills required to transform data into insights and softer skills such as building narratives and presenting findings.

These programmes have been launched to equip Hoare Lea’s people from all areas of the business with the skills to make faster, data informed decisions, to create compelling stories using data visualisation and to drive transformative change across the business. The skills developed will benefit Hoare Lea’s clients by helping them to deliver high performance buildings, using data-driven methods to arrive at better outcomes whilst saving time on manual data processes. Through the training, Hoare Lea’s employees will develop the skills to analyse and present data to clients, to identify cost savings and efficiencies that deliver better projects.

Hoare Lea, part of the Tetra Tech High Performance Buildings Group, has pioneered the delivery of data training within the group, and will be joined by employees from technical services firm RPS, also a part of Tetra Tech.

Tom Collins, Digital Director at Hoare Lea, said: “Building a data culture is integral to how we make good decisions, design for net zero carbon, and plan for our future as a business. This training is enabling us to offer our people new skills, build our capabilities and, ultimately, make better use of data. Just as importantly, it gives our people access to some of the most in-demand skills in the workplace today, in turn equipping them to make use of data and AI to create a huge positive impact on building performance for our clients.”

Multiverse is a new tech-first institution that combines work and learning to unlock economic opportunity for everyone. It offers apprenticeships targeted in areas including software engineering and data analytics.

Noah Stevenson, Vice President GTM at Multiverse, said: "The effective use of data has the potential to radically transform organisations, and Hoare Lea have recognised this potential. Not only is this an investment in operational efficiency and net zero, but it’s also an investment in people: enriching the career trajectories of the team at Hoare Lea.”