Access Group invests GBP £1.5m in AI apprenticeships

Access Group has invested £1.5 million of Apprenticeship Levy funding in new artificial intelligence apprenticeship programmes for 115 staff, stepping up internal training around the technology.

The business software supplier is running three programmes with training provider QA as part of a wider effort to embed practical AI skills across teams, from customer-facing roles to engineering.

Large UK employers pay the Apprenticeship Levy and can draw down funds for approved training. Access is using it to cover structured courses at Levels 3, 5 and 6.

Three pathways

The first programme, AI Advocate (Level 3), focuses on foundational AI literacy. Participants are expected to act as internal champions across operational and customer support teams.

The second, Databricks Engineer (Level 5), is aimed at data professionals and covers work with the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform. It focuses on turning raw data into insights for day-to-day work.

The third, AI Engineer (Level 6), targets more advanced development. Learners will design, build and deploy generative AI and machine-learning systems at scale.

Access employs more than 9,000 people and serves more than 160,000 small and mid-sized organisations, according to the company. It sells business management software across commercial and non-profit sectors in Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific.

Software vendors have expanded AI features and tooling over the past year, increasing demand for internal skills. That includes non-technical staff who need to use new functionality safely and consistently in routine work.

Access wants colleagues to apply AI in day-to-day roles, including customer service, and linked the programmes to ongoing changes in its products.

Chief executive Jon Jorgensen said the effort moves beyond traditional pipelines into technology roles.

"This week, we're proud to launch our first AI‐focused apprenticeship programmes, in partnership with QA. We believe skills like AI shouldn't be limited to people with computer science degrees - they should be democratised and accessible to anyone with curiosity and ambition," Jorgensen said.

Operational focus

Access said the training is designed for customer support as well as development teams, with programmes that include customer-facing colleagues alongside specialist engineers.

Bogdan Mouldovan, Support Manager, said the training is already changing how some teams work.

"The programme has been a real game changer already, with improved performance and efficiency and learners across the business seeing and feeling the impact. Team members are more motivated and customer‐focused because they feel they are truly growing in their capacity and capabilities. The new AI skills have helped us resolve cases faster and work more efficiently, supporting our goal of closing support cases within 48 hours," Mouldovan said.

One participant highlighted the cross-business element of the training and its perceived impact on customer experience.

"The programme has helped me develop new problem‐solving skills and connect with people across the business. I'm excited to use AI to create smoother customer journeys and improve communication with clients," a colleague said.

QA said the partnership reflects a growing need for organisations to develop AI skills at scale, with a focus on responsible use.

"AI is transforming every organisation, but unlocking its benefits depends on people having the right skills and confidence to apply it responsibly and effectively. Our partnership with Access Group shows how apprenticeships can build AI capability at scale," said Jo Bishenden, Chief Learning Officer at QA.

Access expects the three routes to provide structured development options across the organisation as it expands internal use of AI in operations and product work.