Interested in gaining new skills? Want to work towards a nationally recognised qualification to support your career development? Then an apprenticeship could be the answer! Alongside our apprenticeship schemes for new entrants, we have a growing suite of apprenticeships for established staff at the University, whatever stage you are at in your career. These high-quality programmes combine hands-on experience with formal, off-the-job training and last for a minimum of twelve months (although the duration will depend on the programme and the level). Funded in full by Imperial's apprenticeship levy, at no cost to the learner or their department, apprenticeships are becoming a well-established route to gaining a professional qualification.
Apprenticeships available
Frequently Asked Questions for Staff
- What is an apprenticeship?
- How are apprenticeships funded?
- Am I eligible for funding?
- What types of programmes are available?
- What do learners say about apprenticeships?
- How can I find out more?
There is a tendency to associate the term' apprenticeship' with training for younger people new to the workplace. While this remains an important activity, apprenticeships are also available to individuals at any stage of their career and at a variety of levels, right through to Master's. They allow staff to gain new skills and qualifications on the job. More than 700 apprenticeships have been approved for delivery nationally across a range of professions.
An apprenticeship combines hands-on workplace experience with formal, off-the-job training. It should last for a minimum of 12 months, and a learner must spend at least 6 hours a week on development related to their programme. An accredited training provider must deliver training to attract apprenticeship funding, and the learner must work towards an approved Apprenticeship Standard.
An apprenticeship is a nationally recognised qualification and involves an end-point assessment of the learner's knowledge and practical capabilities.
Apprenticeship training and assessment are funded centrally through a mechanism called the Apprenticeship Levy, an initiative designed to increase the level of investment by large employers in skills and training. Imperial pays a substantial Apprenticeship Levy, which we can draw on to fund training and assessment for apprentices, who may be new entrants or existing employees. Learning and Talent manages Imperial's Apprenticeship Levy on behalf of the University. Reforms to the Levy have been announced and are expected to take effect later in 2025.
To be eligible for an apprenticeship, learners should:
- Be in a role that will allow you to meet the learning objectives of the programme (i.e. the apprenticeship needs to be relevant to your job).
- Have approval from your line manager.
- Be ready to commit to the minimum study requirement (6 hours a week on average, in work time) and have agreed with your manager that this can be balanced with operational demands.
- Have Maths and English at Level 2 (i.e. GCSE grade A* - C / 9 – 4 or equivalent). If you do not have this, you will usually have an opportunity to complete it as part of the programme. Imperial also provides support to have overseas equivalents accredited, where necessary.
- Have enough time remaining on your contract of employment to complete the programme.
- Have the right to work in the UK and an eligible residency status (please refer to Education and Skills Funding Agency rules, Annex A, for further information).
- Training providers may also specify additional requirements.
The following apprenticeship programmes are currently available to Imperial staff:
- Executive Development Programme (launching November 2025)
- Data-Driven Professional (launching June 2026)
- Data-Driven Leader (launching June 2026)
- Data Analyst (launching June 2026)
- Data Engineer (launching June 2026)
- Certificate in Leadership and Supervision (launching January 2026)
Explore our case studies of Imperial staff who have completed an apprenticeship to support their professional development.
Staff should attend a Briefing Session to find out more.
Executive Development Programme Briefing Sessions:
Briefing session 1: Thursday 18 September 2025, 10.00 – 11.00
Briefing session 2: Thursday 2 October 2025, 10.00 – 11.00
Data Academy Briefing Sessions:
Briefing session 1: Tuesday 10 March 2026, 10.00-11.00
Briefing session 2: Wednesday 25 March 2026, 10.00-11.00