Apprenticeship units

This page explains what apprenticeships units are, who can deliver them and how eligibility will be confirmed.

What are apprenticeship units?

Apprenticeship units are short flexible training courses designed to support employers to upskill their workforce in critical skill shortage areas. 

Launching in April, apprenticeship units will be funded through the Growth and Skills Levy.

The content for apprenticeship units comes from the knowledge and skills from existing apprenticeship occupational standards.

They include the key knowledge and skills needed to address specific critical skills gaps.

From April 2026, apprenticeship units will be available for delivery in:

• AI Leadership – AI Strategy and Opportunity
• AI Leadership – AI Adoption, Procurement and Governance 
• AI Leadership – AI Delivery and Organisational Transformation
• Electric vehicle charging point installation and maintenance
• Electrical fitting and assembly
• Mechanical fitting and assembly
• Permanent modular building assembly
• Solar PV installation and maintenance
• Welding - mechanised
• Battery manufacturing

This initial release aligns with the Industrial Strategy and reflects evidence and advice from Skills England on where demand, impact and need are greatest. 

We will continue working with Skills England to identify further skills gaps which could benefit from apprenticeship units, while ensuring affordability.

Apprenticeship units funding rates and rules

We have worked with stakeholders to test the funding rates for this first wave of apprenticeship units, ensuring they are set at the right level, and that the final figures are robust and reflect sector needs.

The initial rates have been set to reflect the cost of delivery. They also recognise the additional set-up costs for a new programme and the fixed costs associated with each learner, such as onboarding and administration. We anticipate that apprenticeship units will be delivered in cohorts, for example in AI, a cohort of 10 would generate provider earnings of £7,500, without increasing some of the fixed costs.

We will carry out a 6-month review of all wave 1 funding rates, and we maintain the ability to change funding rates before this review. If any individual rates need to be adjusted, or other restrictions applied, we will implement these changes with the appropriate notice period.

The funding rates for the first wave of apprenticeship unit are:

All apprenticeship units are available to view on the Skills England’s website and will be on LARS from 28 April 2026.  

We have published the first version of the apprenticeship unit funding rules for 2026/27, along with updated guidance on learning support and reservations. These documents explain what eligible training providers need to know to start delivering apprenticeship units.

Who apprenticeship units are for

Apprenticeship units are for employed learners aged 19 and over whose employer has identified a need to upskill them quickly to meet business needs and remain competitive.

Apprenticeship units are not designed for learners seeking to start a new career or occupation.

Delivery requirements

Apprenticeship units:

• last between 30 and 140 delivery hours
• can be delivered over a period of 1 to 16 weeks
• offer flexibility in the delivery model to best suit the needs of the employer and learner, in negotiation with their training provider

There are no standalone English or maths requirements, beyond what is needed for the skill being developed.

Assessment 

Learners will need to pass a skills test, delivered by the training provider, to demonstrate they have acquired the skills and knowledge set out in the apprenticeship unit. Employers will need to validate the result to confirm the learner has been successful. 

If an employer or learner feels external independent assessment is needed, for example to meet regulatory requirements, they can work with their training provider to arrange this.

Details of the assessment process for each apprenticeship unit are set out on the Skills England website.

Progression to apprenticeships

Where someone has taken an apprenticeship unit and progresses onto the linked apprenticeship, it will count as prior learning. All apprenticeships must still have a remaining duration of at least 8 months and comply with off-the-job training requirements.

Who can deliver apprenticeship units

For the initial launch, delivery is limited to a targeted group of existing apprenticeship training providers who already demonstrate strong performance in the occupational standards from which the units are drawn.

To be eligible, training providers must:

• deliver the standards or sector subject areas (Tier 2) from which apprenticeship units are drawn (based on 2024/25 delivery data)
• be on the Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR) and actively delivering apprenticeships
• not have any indicators rated as ‘at risk’ on the Apprenticeship Accountability Framework
• be free from contractual funding restrictions

How eligibility has been confirmed

The Department has carried out a verification check against the published eligibility criteria.  Eligibility to deliver apprenticeship units has been confirmed with those training providers who can deliver apprenticeship units.

As part of the verification process, the Department has contacted eligible training providers and invited them to indicate their interest in delivering apprenticeship units.

If you believe you meet the criteria but did not receive an invitation, please contact the helpdesk.

If you’re eligible and have been approved by the Department to offer apprenticeship units in England, update your listing on Find apprenticeship training through your apprenticeship service account.​

AI apprenticeship unit eligibility

For providers who have already been approved to deliver the AI Leadership – Developing AI Strategy unit, your approval will automatically transfer to the three new AI units, which replace the original provision.

No further application is required, approval is granted on the basis of your original successful submission

Why eligibility is limited initially

For the initial launch, the Department is taking a phased approach.

Apprenticeship units will first be delivered by training providers who already meet a clear set of quality and performance thresholds in the standards and sectors the units are drawn from. 

This approach allows the Department to:

• introduce the new offer in a controlled way
• ensure consistent implementation
• gather early insights before scaling up

If a training providers performance or rating improves, they may become eligible during the year, we will provide more details on how training providers can express interest if this happens.

Update your details

To ensure you have system functionality and your apprenticeship unit ILR data can be validated, please make sure that you log into your Provider Apprenticeship Service account from 28 April 2026, and add the apprenticeship units you have been approved to deliver to your training provider portfolio by selecting the relevant training courses.

Accountability and monitoring

Apprenticeship units are a new, shorter form of apprenticeship training, and we recognise that training providers may need time to adapt their delivery models before commencing delivery.

Apprenticeship units will be reflected in the Apprenticeship training provider accountability framework, with monitoring through existing funding agreement arrangements. 

Initially, this will include tracking the ratio of starts to completion and average durations, without setting thresholds while the offer is in its early development phase.

We will publish more information on how units will be incorporated into the framework during the initial phase as the model is refined.

Funding

Apprenticeship units will be fully funded for non-levy paying employers.

Levy payers can use their levy funds to pay for apprenticeship units. This is the first time levy funds can be used for non-apprenticeship training.

Last updated on 24 April 2026 07:53