The AI Governance, Assurance & Responsible Adoption Apprenticeship Unit (AU0010) is ideal for those in leadership roles responsible for shaping, influencing, or supporting decisions about the adoption of AI systems within their organisation.
This 4-day. Level 5 programme is particularly relevant for employees who need upskilling in how to adopt AI systems and govern them responsibly.
Learners should be:
Aged 16+
Currently employed
By completing the AI Governance, Assurance & Responsible Adoption apprenticeship unit, learners will develop the capability to:
During this Apprenticeship Unit, your employee will learn how to:
Apply principles relating to ethics and values-based leadership and governance, and regulatory compliance.
Horizon scan to identify new developments that have implications for AI use.
Apply regulatory, legal, ethical and governance considerations when evaluating AI recommendations at each stage of the AI adoption process.
Define expectations for testing and feedback to ensure reliability, security, accessibility of AI systems, and alignment with organisational needs.
Make evidence-based suggestions to support governance, outcomes and facilitate improvement, for example, cost-benefit analysis.
Apply ethical and human-centred design principles when scoping, developing, and deploying automation and AI solutions, underpinned by robust governance.
Undertake assurance activities to evidence responsible AI and automation, including maintaining clear documentation of design and decision-making, contributing to risk assessments, and applying assurance frameworks to support compliance with organisational, regulatory, and ethical standards.
A full breakdown of how apprenticeship units are funded is available below, specific to both Levy and Non-Levy paying employers.
Levy Employer:
Fully funded directly from your Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account, subject to available funds.
Levy Employer with insufficient funds / co-investment:
95% is funded by government co-investment, you agree to pay a mandatory 5% cash contribution.
Non-Levy Employer:
Fully funded using your reservation made via the Government's apprenticeship service website.
The AI Governance, Assurance & Responsible Adoption Apprenticeship Unit is assessed daily through:
Scenario-based tasks
Governance design exercises
Risk and compliance workshops
Curriculum Sequencing:
Core focus: AI concepts, risks and governance fundamentals.
Session Breakdown:
1. AI Concepts & Organisational Impact
AI models and limitations (bias, opacity and reliability)
Workforce and wellbeing implications
Socio-technical impact of AI adoption
2. Risk Landscape in AI Systems
Operational, ethical, legal, reputational risks
Real-world AI failures (case analysis)
Risk categorisation frameworks
3. Regulatory & Governance Landscapes
UK/EU AI governance frameworks
Data protection and AI compliance considerations
Introduction to AI assurance frameworks
4. Horizon Scanning & Emerging Risks
Rapid evolution of AI tools and threats
Vendor hype vs real capability
Practical Activity:
Case study: Governance failure analysis
Risk identification workshop (AI deployment scenario)
Outputs: AI risk register (initial draft) and governance considerations briefing.
Core focus: Designing governance frameworks and embedding leadership, ethics and accountability.
Session Breakdown:
1. Designing AI Governance Frameworks
Roles, responsibilities and accountability structures
Escalation pathways and decision rights
Embedding governance into organisational strategy
2. Aligning AI with Business Needs
Linking technical capability to strategic objectives
Scalability, efficiency and sustainability considerations
3. Human-AI Collaboration Models
Human-in-the-loop governance
Designing augmentation workflows
Accountability in hybrid decision-making
4. Workforce Engagement & Training
Supporting non-technical staff understanding
Managing resistance and concerns
Practical Activity:
Design a governance structure for an AI initiative
Outputs: AI governance framework and workforce readiness + training plan.
Core focus: Evaluating AI solutions and testing methodologies + feasibility.
Session Breakdown:
1. Evaluating AI Solutions
On-prem vs cloud vs third-party solutions
Vendor due-diligence and capability assessment
2. Feasibility & Viability Analysis
Cost, time, data-readiness, process maturity
Business case validation
Risk vs reward modelling
3. Testing Methodologies in Practice
Functional, bias and robustness testing
Test data design and validation
User acceptance testing (UAT)
4. Defining Testing & Feedback Expectations
Reliability, security and accessibility benchmarks
Aligning testing to organisational requirements
Practical Activity:
Evaluate a vendor AI solution
Outputs: AI solution evaluation report + testing and validation plan.
Core focus: Assurance frameworks + compliance, auditability and continuous monitoring.
Session Breakdown:
1. AI Assurance & Compliance Frameworks
Structured risk assessments
Documentation requirements
2. Governance in Practice
Identifying vulnerabilities and threats
Cybersecurity considerations
Monitoring and escalation processes
3. Auditability, Transparency & Accountability
Documenting AI decision-making
Ensuring traceability and explanations
4. Continuous Improvement & Feedback Loops
Monitoring system performance
Human-in-the-loop safeguards
Practical Activity:
Conduct an AI assurance review
Outputs: AI assurance and compliance framework + Audit-ready documentation structure.
On completion, learners may progress into or strengthen roles such as:
The unit also supports progression to Level 6 digital or data apprenticeships, or further executive AI development.
The AI Leadership: AI Adoption, Procurement & Governance Apprenticeship Unit (AU0010) is designed for existing employees in leadership roles responsible for shaping, influencing, or supporting decisions about the adoption of AI systems within their organisation.
The focus is on upskilling these employees in adopting AI systems and how to govern them responsibly.
No. This unit is not a technical or coding programme.
Learners do not need hands‑on experience building AI systems. Instead, the unit is designed for leaders who:
Influence or approve AI‑related decisions
Sponsor or oversee AI initiatives
Need confidence in AI strategy, governance, ethics and risk
A general familiarity with digital systems, data or organisational change is helpful, but training starts with leadership‑level AI literacy and builds from there.
By completing this Apprenticeship Unit, your employee will learn how to:
Evaluate AI solutions and vendors using structured criteria following organisational process (cost, performance, risk, data readiness).
Make procurement decisions based on testing, benchmarking and user validation following organisational policy and process.
Assess risks associated with AI acquisition, including vendor lock-in, data, IP, and sustainability.
Design and implement AI governance frameworks, including roles, responsibilities and escalation pathways.
Embed ethical, legal and regulatory considerations into AI decision-making processes.
Define assurance and compliance processes, including documentation, auditability and transparency.
Design and implement human oversight mechanisms for AI systems.
The unit is delivered through:
Facilitated leadership workshops.
Guided application to your organisation.
Structured reflection and portfolio development.
Delivery is remote, allowing employees to apply learning alongside their existing role.
Assessment is through a provider‑led skills test, which includes a portfolio of applied organisational artefacts, such as:
An AI strategy and prioritised use cases
An AI investment or procurement case
A professional discussion to confirm leadership judgement, decision‑making and application
There is no exam.
For employers, a breakdown of the funding requirements is below:
Levy Employer: fully funded directly from your digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account, subject to available funds.
Levy Employer with insufficient funds / Co-Investment: 95% is funded by government co-investment; the employer agrees to pay a mandatory 5% cash contribution.
Non-Levy Employer: fully funded using your reservation made via the apprenticeship service.
This Apprenticeship Unit is designed for short, intensive delivery, and is delivered in 4 consecutive days.
Your employee will remain in their role throughout and apply learning directly to live organisational priorities.
Throughout the unit, your employee will receive:
Support from an industry-experienced tutor
Clear guidance on portfolio development and assessment
Ongoing support through to completion
As the employer, you will also provide a workplace sponsor or mentor to support with the application of learning.
On completion, your employee will be better equipped to:
Lead AI strategy and governance within your organisation
Sponsor AI initiatives with confidence and credibility
Reduce ethical, regulatory and reputational risk
Support sustainable, responsible AI adoption
The unit also supports progression to Level 6 digital or data apprenticeships, or further executive‑level AI development.
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