AI Upskilling Fund Pilot

AI Funding Application

Please note: the Deadline for submitting the application has now passed - 18th August 2024* WE WILL UPDATE THIS PAGE WHEN FURTHER INFORMATION IS POSTED FOLLOWING THE REVIEW OF THE PILOT

“The pilot aims to increase AI adoption and productivity by incentivising greater employer-led investment in skills and training. Eligible businesses can apply for funding for up to 50% of the cost of AI skills training and other AI upskilling activities. The training should support employees to develop their technical skills and/or understanding of AI, helping them develop, deploy, or use AI in their role.”

To apply, you must be a representative of an individual business and the business must:

• be registered and operate in the UK
• employ between 1 to 249 employees in the UK
• be defined as an SME per the BEIS SME action plan: 2022 to 2025
• have been operating for at least 1 year at the time of application
• operate in the Professional and Business Services sector as defined by the SIC codes

What courses can the funding support?

The training should support employees to develop their technical skills and/or understanding of AI, helping them develop, deploy, or use AI in their role.

The following core AI skills are identified in the Application Guidance:

Note: only major category links provided. Please contact us if the required course cannot be found or you require customisation of any course via new content or amalgamation of two or more outlines.

The overall objectives of the pilot are to:

• stimulate employer investment in AI training
• address AI skills gaps in the UK workforce that are limiting AI adoption
• measure the impact of AI upskilling on business productivity and outcomes

The courses can be:

• off-the-shelf training courses
• classroom learning
• online or distance learning
• certification or accreditation programs

How much funding is being offered?

The funding can subsidise the cost of AI skills training by 50%, up to a value of:

Micro                 £2,500

Small                 £5,000

Medium             £10,000

(as defined by BEIS SME action plan: 2022 to 2025)

For full details of the funding application please refer to the AI Upskilling Fund: Application Guidance (where you will find some helpful webinars explaining the process) and the full list of documentation

When does the training have to be completed?

The course and invoicing needs to be completed by 31 March 2025.

Making the Application

How do you determine the best Training Provider?

Helpfully the Guidance offers some assistance so you can be confident the Training Provider you select is the right one for your company.

Aims and objectives

• Does the proposed training have clear aims and learning outcomes?

The NobleProg Way

All of NobleProg’s courses, in our extensive catalogue of off-the-shelf learning, contain detailed outlines setting out what will be covered. We are specialists in bespoke learning, customised to exactly meet your needs, we will discuss your company’s learning aims (we’ll even help you form them) and the outcomes you are seeking.

• Does the training provider demonstrate an awareness of the needs of your workforce?
• Does the training provider describe how they will work with you to adapt delivery to meet your employees’ training needs, e.g. through a Training Needs Analysis?

The NobleProg Way

Our flexibility is what makes us special. It’s in our DNA as a training company. We are determined to deliver impactful training and this starts from the moment you contact us. Your allocated training event coordinator will work with you and the NobleProg expert trainer to understand your company and how the training can enhance the capability of the participants.

• Does the training provider describe how they will adapt the training for your business objectives e.g. building a challenge for your organisation as a case study?

The NobleProg Way

We lead the way when it comes to ensuring the course you receive is exactly what you need and that the content is recognisable to the participants. The agility to adapt, be flexible and offer customisation are the foundations to building a learning event that delivers more than just skills - we are in the business of capability enhancement. Participants should return to role ready to implement what they have learned.  

• Does the training provider demonstrate how the curriculum addresses the needs of the Personas in the AI Skills for Business Competency Framework?

The NobleProg Way

The framework defines four high-level learner personas:  AI Citizens, AI Workers, AI Professionals and AI Leaders.

The course offer will match the outline with the aims and learner objectives to the appropriate persona(s), referencing the Framework.

• Does the training provider clearly describe how this training would contribute towards professional recognition or subsequent training for your delegates?

The NobleProg Way

At NobleProg we offer both professional skills development and professional certification. We are selectively partnered with a number of leading global certification and accreditation bodies (including BCS and PECB for the ISO42001 AI Management Systems Foundation / Lead Implementer and Lead Auditor), where we know we can add real value.

We design and deliver a number of programmes which include exams, alongside the professional skills development, so that delegates can finish their training with updated skills and an internationally recognised certification.

Where appropriate we always recommend further or complementary training to help participants continue their learning pathway.

Design and Delivery

• Are the learning activities clearly described and mapped to the Learning Outcomes?
• Is the training provider able to deliver training to the target number of learners?
• Are the number of training hours proportionate to the scope of the training and are they achievable for your delegates alongside competing demands?

The NobleProg Way

Whilst the majority of our courses are delivered as a single or series of whole day events (9:30 - 4:30) we can also deliver shorter sessions.

• Does the learning activity have the flexibility to adapt pace to learner needs and to be responsive to your discussions?

The NobleProg Way

Our tried and tested methods work - we send all delegates a Pre-Course Questionnaire before every training event. This enables us to delve even deeper (beyond the initial scoping call(s)) on an individual participant level, to understand their reasons for attending, existing levels of knowledge, specific topics of interest and learner objectives. This ensures the expert trainer is fully equipped with all the required knowledge to create an event which is pitched and paced at a level suitable for group (as individuals and collectively).

• Does the training provider demonstrate how they meet accessibility requirements? E.g. appropriate training locations, staff assistance and accessibility of digital materials.

This will be discussed with your allocated coordinator.

Quality

• Does the training provider demonstrate which technical skills from the AI Skills for Business Competency Framework the curriculum addresses?

The NobleProg Way

The framework sets out five skills dimensions. Dimensions A through D provide skills against key phases of the AI project lifecycle. The professional values introduced in Dimension E are expected to underpin activity across all areas.

• Dimension A: Data privacy and stewardship

• Dimension B: Specification, acquisition, engineering, architecture storage and curation

• Dimension C: Problem definition and communication

• Dimension D: Problem solving, analysis, statistical modelling, visualisation

• Dimension E: Evaluation and reflection

Your course offer will identify which skills the course outline addresses.

• Has the training provider secured accreditation for their activity, or otherwise been recognised for providing a quality service?

The NobleProg Way

NobleProg is an award winning training and consultancy service, winning the 2022 ‘Up for the Challenge’ KPMG Learning Services Award and being nominated for the most prestigious award in 2023 of Best Overall Facilitator for our role in supporting the UK Civil Service.

"For providing support in delivering difficult topics well in the tech space and with cloud based products”

“Being proactive in ensuring the latest topics are available to support learners in a constantly changing landscape”

NobleProg is Cyber Essentials Plus certified and is recognised as a leading training provider, holding positions on multiple frameworks and DPS initiatives.

• Are methods for recognising and recording learner progress and achievement clear and understandable?

The NobleProg Way

This will depend on the course selected but full details will be provided in the course offer as necessary. For example, certification courses will have clear achievement criteria by the required percentage to pass the exam.

• Does the training provider demonstrate that trainers have relevant and up-to-date knowledge and experience? e.g. qualifications and professional experience.

The NobleProg Way

Full CVs can be provided to showcase the NobleProg expert’s number of years training experience and real world experience relevant to the course.

• Does the training provider have clear processes in place to ensure training is up-to-date, technically accurate, and of a high quality.

The NobleProg Way

NobleProg has a dedicated catalogue team who are continually reviewing our catalogue, retiring courses which are either redundant or we don’t believe justify continued inclusion. Further, we are continually researching new technologies and updating existing outlines or creating entirely new courses.

Evaluation and feedback

• Are processes in place to identify whether learning objectives have been met?

The NobleProg Way

Ensuring the understanding of delegates is crucial to any learning situation. We typically work with small groups (no more than 12 [sometimes as low as 2], max 15 dependant on the course, the delivery modality and the group). Our expert trainers are excellent at check-ins and continual assessment. Your allocated coordinator will remain in contact with you and the expert throughout the learning event, ensuring that everyone is happy with progress. This ensures that any issues can be identified at the earliest opportunity and any remedial action implemented.

• Does the training provider have a well-documented feedback and evaluation process?
  Is there evidence how feedback will be acted upon?

The NobleProg Way

NobleProg sends every delegate a Training Evaluation Form at the conclusion of the course. Delegates have a full opportunity to provide feedback and evaluation. Every form is reviewed by both the allocated learning event coordinator and the Training Operations Manager and followed up as necessary.

Your next steps

Please contact us for any information required to help you complete the application. In particular, please find the required details for completing Section 3 ‘Training Eligibility’:

• name of the provider - NobleProg (UK) Ltd
• UKPRN number of the provider or the name and accreditation number of the awarding organisation - 10033110 (you can search for UKPRN numbers here)
• name of the training course - you can select the course from NobleProg’s extensive catalogue or please contact us to discuss your application or any customisation requirement
• supporting training course links - you can find the link on our website or we will send you a full course offer (including all the information above, required for the application).

Please secure this funding for your company by submitting the Application before the deadline 18th August 2024 *

Choose NobleProg as your Training Provider - a company at the forefront of Advanced Technology training since 2011.

Delivering impactful learning, and enhancing the workforce capability of some of the biggest companies in the UK, the UK Government, Public Bodies and Charities, including:

KPMG (as part of the consortium of learning specialists delivering to the UK civil service)

NHS and NHS Wales

Accenture

Sky

Welsh Revenue Authority

Sport Wales

European Space Agency

The National Trust

Scottish Government

and many more.

* There is encouragement to submit your application by 12:00 pm on Friday 16 August 2024