AI Leadership – AI Strategy and Opportunity – Apprenticeship Unit

Overview

The AI leadership – AI strategy and opportunity apprenticeship unit is a five-day live training programme designed for senior leaders and managers responsible for guiding AI adoption and organisational transformation. This unit builds practical leadership capability in artificial intelligence, enabling learners to translate AI potential into strategic value.

The programme develops AI literacy for decision-makers, focusing on strategic alignment, governance, risk management, and ethical leadership. Learners explore the capabilities and limitations of AI technologies, assess organisational readiness, and develop structured approaches to identifying, prioritising, and commissioning AI initiatives.

By the end of the unit, participants will be equipped to define a coherent AI strategy aligned to organisational goals, engage stakeholders with confidence, and implement governance frameworks that support responsible and sustainable AI adoption.

Funding: This apprenticeship unit is funded through the Government’s Growth and Skills Levy. Levy-paying employers can use their levy funds to cover the cost of training, while non-levy employers typically benefit from government co-investment up to the published funding band.

Find out how your organisation could benefit from the Growth and Skills Levy.

Prerequisites

Please note: Eligibility must be assessed prior to accepting bookings for this programme. Contact us to arrange a discussion with your QA team.

There are no formal technical prerequisites. Learners should:

• Hold a leadership or management role with responsibility for strategic decision-making
• Have experience of organisational change, digital initiatives, or transformation programmes
• Be prepared to engage in discussion, case study analysis, and applied strategic planning

Who should attend

This apprenticeship unit is designed for:

• Senior leaders and managers
• AI sponsors and programme owners
• Heads of function with AI accountability
• Leaders responsible for AI risk, governance, or transformation

No prior technical AI expertise is required. The course is designed for non-technical leaders who need to make informed, evidence-based decisions about AI adoption and oversight.

Objectives

By attending this programme, learners will:

• Develop AI literacy for informed leadership decision-making
• Understand the organisational impact of AI adoption across people, process, technology, and culture
• Identify AI opportunities aligned with strategic priorities
• Evaluate AI risks, including ethical, operational, legal, and reputational considerations
• Build a structured AI strategy and prioritisation framework
• Strengthen governance and oversight of AI initiatives
• Confidently engage stakeholders, suppliers, and delivery teams

Outline

• Explain AI fundamentals in the context of leadership decision-making
• Assess the organisational impact of AI adoption
• Evaluate AI capabilities, benefits, and limitations
• Identify ethical risks including bias, fairness, transparency, and workforce impact
• Articulate a leadership response to responsible AI and build a business case for ethical AI use
• Develop and prioritise AI initiatives using structured strategy and governance frameworks
• Use organisational data to identify viable AI opportunities
• Assess commissioning approaches, feasibility, and associated risks
• Define AI direction and secure stakeholder support
• Apply horizon scanning, peer insight, and supplier evaluation techniques

Delivery format

This is a five-day live training programme. The format includes:

• Facilitated workshops and expert-led discussions
• Real-world case studies and applied scenarios
• Group exercises focused on strategic planning
• Peer discussion and leadership insight sharing
• Structured frameworks and practical templates

Learners are encouraged to apply course concepts to their own organisational context throughout the programme.

Validation and assessment

Mandatory: As a minimum, learners will need to pass a skills test, to demonstrate that they have acquired the skills and knowledge set out in the apprenticeship unit.  Employers will need to validate the result to confirm the learner has been successful.

Business benefits

Organisations that invest in AI leadership capability will:

• Make more informed and evidence-based AI investment decisions
• Reduce ethical, legal, and reputational risk
• Align AI initiatives with strategic priorities
• Strengthen governance and accountability
• Improve stakeholder confidence in AI adoption
• Accelerate responsible innovation and competitive advantage

Individual benefits

Learners will:

• Gain confidence in leading AI-related discussions at board or executive level
• Develop a structured approach to AI opportunity assessment
• Strengthen their ability to manage AI-related risk
• Build credibility as an informed and responsible AI leader
• Leave with a practical framework to guide AI strategy in their organisation