Awarded contract

AI Apprenticeship

Details

Buyer: Department for Science Innovation and Technology
Supplier(s): IN4 Group
Value: £90,000
Duration: 1 year
Topic: Research and development services and related consultancy services
Published: 22 June 2026
Source: uk:contracts_finder

Tender description

A pilot to support a minimum of 30 young people at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) into AI apprenticeships from September 2026. Offers a direct route for disadvantaged young people into employment in frontier technology. The pilot would target young people identified by schools through the Risk of NEET Indicator (RONI) and support them into AI apprenticeships. Under the proposal, up to 50 selected students would be engaged and enrolled before end of the academic year and thereafter would undertake a four-week summer programme focused on essential workplace communication and basic AI skills before being matched to participating employers. We expect 50% of those enrolled to convert into apprenticeship starts. We would also expect a strong completion rate for the apprenticeship, which typically lasts one year. DSIT is funding the four-week summer programme at a cost of £90k. To secure the apprenticeship places already identified, funding would need to be confirmed by the end of June 2026.

Timeline

Completed: Award date15 June 2026
Completed: Award published22 June 2026
Current notice
Next: Contract expiry date15 June 2027in 7 months

About the buyer

The Department for Science Innovation and Technology is a central government department, and a dedicated commercial directorate leads on its procurement work alongside project and delivery teams. Common goods and services are bought through Crown Commercial Service frameworks. UK Shared Business Services, a shared-services provider, manages many of the department's lower-value procurements on its behalf. Low-value orders require multiple supplier quotes to ensure value for money.

Over the past 5 years, most of the Department for Science Innovation and Technology's contract awards have been in IT services, research and development and software and information systems.

Decision makers

Connect with the people behind this procurement.

Job title	Phone number	Work email
Head of Procurement	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-science-innovation-and-technology.gov
Commercial Director	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-science-innovation-and-technology.gov
Procurement Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-science-innovation-and-technology.gov
Category Lead	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-science-innovation-and-technology.gov
Senior Buyer	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-science-innovation-and-technology.gov
Contracts Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-science-innovation-and-technology.gov