As trailed across 2025, Government is introducing “apprenticeship units.” These are short courses that – crucially – employers can pay for through their Growth and Skills Levy.

This is due to come in from March 2026 and is a big change which, on the face of it, brings greater flexibility to the Apprenticeship Levy (as was) that employers have long asked for.

But what will actually help employers drive productivity and growth, how can short courses fit alongside apprenticeships that are by their very nature long-term, and how is Government going to roll this out less than 6 months from now from a standing start?

Cambridge Ahead has conducted a rapid consultation and review with some of our employer and skills provider membership to explore these questions, and feedback to Skills England.

We’ve captured this work into an early paper which we now want to build upon as we continue discussions with Government nationally and locally. We’d like to hear your answers to the questions above, and your views on what you would like to see being offered locally.

The rollout from Spring 2026 will just be the beginning – with further waves promised – and we will continue to work with Government to advocate for the right delivery of this policy to help employers and providers.

Perspectives on Short Courses – Cambridge Ahead Member & Stakeholder Community

What we heard from providers

Providers in our network are not waiting for the full policy detail to be finalised. Institutions such as Anglia Ruskin University are already investing in the systems, platforms and processes required to deliver short, modular learning – both directly to employers and to individual learners through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement. Their plans are closely aligned with regional and national priority areas as set out in the Industrial Strategy and Local Growth Plan, such as digital, AI, and technical and professional skills.

Providers we spoke to see short courses as a natural extension of their existing work with employers: a way to respond more dynamically to fast-changing skills needs in sectors like digital technologies, accountancy and professional services. They expect to use a mix of measures to track success – including registrations and completions, learner and employer feedback, assessment outcomes and, over time, evidence of progression into further study or new roles. But they are clear that short courses must not be treated as “mini-apprenticeships”: imposing apprenticeship-style documentation, achievement metrics and audit processes on much shorter, more targeted learning could risk undermining the flexibility that makes them attractive in the first place.

From these conversations, several design principles emerge:

  • Flexibility of duration and format – from short, intensive bursts of learning to modular programmes spread over time.
  • Proportionate administration – funding, reporting and audit rules that reflect the scale and value of short courses, and that are navigable for SMEs as well as large employers.
  • Clarity on purpose – a clear distinction between holistic, occupation-focused apprenticeships and focused, exploratory or upskilling short courses.
  • Space for innovation – alignment with existing standards and apprenticeship KSBs where helpful, but without making this mandatory or overly prescriptive.

The accountancy, audit and tax sector offers a glimpse of what good could look like. Training there is already highly modular, with clear opportunities for levy-funded short courses at both entry and mid-career level – from basic bookkeeping and pre-apprenticeship boosters through to digital finance, sustainability reporting and leadership skills. There are clear lessons that can be drawn cross-sectorally – which, given the breadth of sectoral specialisms which exist in Cambridge, is important to acknowledge.

 

What employers are asking for

Employers across our membership identify a broad set of immediate and emerging skills needs that short courses could help address. These range from everyday digital tools (such as enhanced competence using Teams, SharePoint, AI assistants) and data literacy, through to project and contract management, finance fundamentals for non-specialists, communication and leadership in hybrid teams, and role-specific technical skills in life sciences – such as new lab techniques, regulatory compliance and commercial awareness.

Crucially, employers describe workforces with very mixed starting points. They want short courses that can be tailored to different roles, levels and prior experience, rather than one-size-fits-all provision. Preferred formats include micro-modules of one to two hours, half-day sessions or focused one-day courses, delivered in flexible modes – from virtual and e-learning to in-house and on-site options.

Employers are equally clear about what they need from providers. They value:

  • Trainers who understand their sector context and language.
  • Pre-training diagnostics to gauge baseline skills and target content effectively.
  • Straightforward logistics – easy booking, predictable scheduling and digital certification.
  • Proportionate assessment – for example, certificates of completion or short tests, rather than onerous exam regimes.

Mid-career professionals, returners and non-qualified staff are seen as some of the main potential beneficiaries of short courses. For these groups, short, targeted learning can provide a bridge between qualification levels, a way to “try out” a topic before committing to a larger programme, or a structured route to build capability without the time commitment of a Level 6 or 7 apprenticeship.

 

Making funding work for real-world skills needs

Both employers and providers see strong potential in levy-funded short courses, particularly as part of the shift towards a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy. Used well, short courses could:

  • Support early-career staff who would not yet be ready for a full apprenticeship.
  • Help existing employees build new technical or digital skills.
  • Make foundational skills – such as bookkeeping or basic data analysis – more accessible, especially in smaller organisations.

However, the message from our conversations is that design really matters. If funding rules are complex, eligibility unclear, or audit processes too heavy, SMEs and mid-sized employers simply will not engage. Similarly, if apprenticeship units become too rigid or standardised, they risk replicating the limitations of the current system rather than delivering the greater agility that reforms are seeking to create.

 

Why this agenda matters for Cambridge – and for the UK

For Cambridge, and Cambridge Ahead, short courses are not a marginal issue: they are central to how we sustain a world-class innovation ecosystem while supporting inclusive, sustainable growth. Our city-region depends on a steady pipeline of people with the right blend of digital, technical and professional skills – from lab technicians and project managers to data analysts, accountants and leaders able to navigate AI-enabled workplaces.

Short, modular learning has a key role to play in:

  • Upskilling existing staff in response to rapid technological change.
  • Reskilling people into growth sectors, including those changing careers or returning to work.
  • Diversifying access to high-quality learning, by lowering the time and financial barriers to participation.

If short course design is done right, they can support a more secure talent pipeline for Cambridge and make a meaningful contribution to national productivity and growth. Mishandled, they could create another complex layer in an already crowded skills landscape.

At Cambridge Ahead, we want to continue dialogue with employers, providers, national and local government on this issue, as part of our wider programme of skills work – which is dedicated to ensuring a secure and inclusive talent pipeline for employers, and access to good Cambridge jobs for the people of the city region.

 

An open invitation to employers and providers

Our recent consultation is a first step, reflecting input from a small cross-section of providers and employers. Over the coming months, Cambridge Ahead is keen to broaden this conversation across a wider range of sectors, sizes and types of organisation, and to feed those insights into national policy discussions and the next phases of short-course rollout.

If you are an employer or education provider in the Cambridge city region and would like to share your current or emerging skills needs; explore short-course pilots or partnerships; or help shape how levy-funded short courses and apprenticeship units work in practice, we would be delighted to hear from you.