Smarter Start:
AI Foundations

AI Foundations is FTL's structured Early Careers pathway for building practical AI, digital and workplace capability.

Delivered through the Level 3 Digital Support Technician Apprenticeship, it helps people entering or early in their careers use AI and digital tools confidently, solve everyday digital problems, support colleagues and develop the professional judgement needed to contribute effectively at work.

It is designed primarily for people aged 16-24 entering or early in their careers.

This can include school and college leavers, new Early Careers hires, graduates entering suitable roles and colleagues already in work who need to build substantial new AI and digital capability.

The best fit is determined by the work the learner will have opportunities to undertake and the skills they need to develop, rather than job title alone.

Both programmes build practical AI and digital capability through the Level 3 Digital Support Technician Apprenticeship.

AI for Smarter Work is designed for a broad workforce population seeking to improve everyday productivity and digital ways of working.

Smarter Start: AI Foundations is specifically designed for people aged 16-24 entering or early in their careers. Its curriculum places greater emphasis on the transition into working life, professional confidence, communication, responsible AI use, judgement and extensive ongoing support through coaching, Mentarri, live learning and peer groups.

AI Foundations is informed by established national frameworks for the transition into work, employability and digital capability.

The Gatsby Benchmarks inform the transition from education into employment and meaningful workplace experience. The Skills Builder Universal Framework provides a shared language for essential human skills such as communication, teamwork and problem-solving. The FutureDotNow Essential Digital Skills Framework defines the practical digital skills people need for work.

In October 2026, Skills England's Employability Skills Framework brought established frameworks including Skills Builder and FutureDotNow into a common national language for employability. AI Foundations applies these foundations through the Level 3 Digital Support Technician Apprenticeship, so learners develop workplace, digital and AI capability together in real work.

No coding experience is required.

The programme is designed to build practical digital confidence through workplace applications rather than software development. Learners do need a role that gives them appropriate opportunities to use digital tools, solve problems, support others and apply their learning at work.

Every learner has their own experienced development coach, with regular one-to-one support typically around every 10 days.

They also have interactive live workshops, coach-facilitated peer study groups, personalised practice through Mentarri and neuro-inclusive learning resources.

This gives learners multiple sources of support as they build confidence in the workplace, while reducing the expectation that line managers provide all of their development themselves.

AI Foundations runs for 12 months.

Learners receive approximately four hours of protected learning time per week, including online learning, live events, Mentarri-supported practice, study groups, coaching and reflection.

Development then continues as learners apply what they are building through their normal workplace activity.

Assessment takes place throughout the programme.

Learners demonstrate skills through practical activity, receive feedback, reflect, improve and evidence how they are applying their development at work.

Assessment therefore supports progression through the programme rather than feeling separate from the learning experience.

The Level 3 Digital Support Technician Apprenticeship has a maximum funding band of £13,000. 

For apprentices aged 16-24, government currently covers the full eligible training and assessment cost up to the funding band maximum for non-levy employers and levy-paying employers that have exhausted their available levy funds. Employers with available levy funds use those funds.

Different co-investment arrangements apply at age 25. Eligibility criteria apply.

AI Foundations provides a strong foundation for roles and responsibilities involving workplace technology, AI adoption, digital productivity, support and workflow improvement.

As responsibilities grow, learners can progress into wider digital, AI, data or transformation pathways.

For colleagues ready to deepen their AI and workflow capability, FTL's Level 4 AI & Automation Management Programme provides a natural progression route.