AI continues to be a fast-developing topic, with new models being rolled out at increasing frequency and its everyday use accelerating at pace. Yet with this comes responsibility for ensuring users know how to engage with AI safely and responsibly, and with meaningful impact.
The government recently announced its plans to provide free AI short courses to all adults across the UK as part of its ambition to upskill 10 million workers by 2030.
The courses are said to be able to give people the relevant skills needed to use simple AI tools effectively in the workplace, and set the standard for what good AI upskilling looks like.
Yet whilst short courses like these are, in principle, excellent ways for the workforce to build a foundational understanding of AI and how to use it, speed should not come at the expense of substance.
AI is rapidly reshaping the needs of employers and many may rely on short courses as a ‘quick fix’ to fill existing digital skills gaps. However, they should not be used as a substitute for the deep, applied skills employers need if AI is to be embedded productively and safely at scale.
FE Week also reported recently that there are growing concerns about the consistency and quality of some of the AI short courses being delivered, thereby raising questions about whether they risk repeating past mistakes of prioritising volume over impact.
If we are serious about building a genuinely AI-ready workforce, the government and employers must recognise that apprenticeships are the central pillar to achieving this ambition.
AI capabilities are not built in isolation from the workforce. We regularly hear from employers and partners that what they need are people who can apply AI tools in their everyday roles, and understand the risks and limitations as the technology evolves.
That not only requires human judgement, but structured, work-based learning which cannot be achieved in short bursts of training which are disconnected from day-to-day practices. This is where apprenticeships have a very clear advantage.
Whether in AI, data or cybersecurity, apprenticeships allow skills to be built in contexts aligned to real business needs and assessed through practical outcomes. Learners can develop technical digital skills alongside their professional judgement, and in far more detail than is available through short courses alone.
Crucially, however, is the fact that apprenticeships provide a scalable route to upskilling the existing workforce rather than only new entrants. Many employees who will use and manage new AI systems are already in the labour market and as such, apprenticeships offer a pathway for sustained development and confidence as they progress throughout their careers.
An important consideration with this, however, is how the growth and skills levy will be used to support digital upskilling. From April, levy funds can be used for shorter module training courses or ‘apprenticeship units’ which will be lifted from existing apprenticeships in critical industries like AI in the first instance.
Such reform presents an opportunity to ensure funding mechanisms actively support long-term capability building, while also enabling the use of targeted, short-term solutions where they add value. Flexibility is crucial, and when used well it can complement – rather than sideline – high-quality, longer-term apprenticeship provision.
National Apprenticeship Week prompted reflection on the future of the system, but policymakers should resist the temptation to frame the way forwards as a choice between speed and quality. The challenge is to do both. Short courses can complement the system, but they cannot replace the role apprenticeships play in building durable, job-ready capability.
If the UK genuinely wants to create an AI-ready workforce that supports productivity, progression and long-term resilience, apprenticeships must be treated not as an optional extra but as critical infrastructure for the country’s skills system.
Getting that balance right will determine whether AI becomes a driver of inclusive growth or another missed opportunity.
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