ArtificIal Intelligence (AI) and automation practitioner Level 4
Launch a career as a champion of AI and automation.
Employees in this occupation support improvement wherever digital workflows exist and are typically embedded in operational teams, working in digital support roles, or in change delivery functions. They may also be employed by consultancies or service providers helping organisations to optimise internal and customer-facing processes.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to enhance productivity, streamline processes, and support continuous improvement through the safe and responsible use of automation, integration, and AI tools. They understand, select, and implement digital solutions to address inefficiencies in existing systems. Their work is focused on solving real-world challenges that slow down business operations such as manual tasks, duplicated data entry, unintegrated tools, and inefficient workflows. They play a key role in unlocking time and cost savings supporting organisations to realise the potential for AI, automation and digital solutions to improve efficiency, accuracy or productivity.
Key Information
Duration
18 month programme followed by a 2-month assessment phase.
Funding options.
If as an employer you pay the apprenticeship levy this is 100% funded at £18,000.
Or
a maximum £900 (5% contribution) if you are a non-levy employer.
Fully funded for a 16-21 year old within a non-levy employer. (Increasing to 16-25)
Knowledge
- The role of organisational leadership in responsible AI adoption, including settings values, policy, and strategy. The business case for ethical AI adoption, including reputational risk, staff morale, and long term sustainability.
- Legal and regulatory frameworks including employment rights, equality, and responsible automation, data protection and GDPR. Ethical principles and professional standards relevant to AI development such as fairness, transparency, and accountability.
- Understand the potential social and economic impacts of AI and automation on different roles, particularly for non-technical staff including change management principles.
- Approaches for identifying and implementing incremental change, including piloting, evaluating solutions in relation to organisational constraints such as budget, time and resources.
- Methods to identify opportunities to enhance productivity such as improve processes, reduce waste, increase user or customer satisfaction or optimise outcomes.
- The importance of designing AI and automation systems that augment rather than replace human work, where feasible.
- the capabilities, benefits and risks of automation, AI and digital tools including responsible use, ethical considerations and the potential impact on the workforce.
- The capabilities, risks and implications of on-premise, cloud-based and third party solutions.
- AI and automation concepts, models and limitations. The impact adoption may have on workplace culture and wellbeing.
- Sources of error and algorithmic bias, including how they
Skills
- Review, establish, follow and or amend policies and procedures on data and information security.
- Undertake analysis to identify if automation is viable. Including assessing risks such as data quality, process maturity and unintended consequences of AI automation projects, such as the impact on job roles.
- Support with the introduction, adaption, and implementation of change. Contribute to constructive dialogue between leaders and employees about the adoption of AI and automation solutions.
- Create and refine prompts for AI tools, using iterative testing to achieve accurate and useful outputs.
- Organise and execute workshops, surveys, or focus groups, managing to suit the organisational context to configure, adapt and implement solutions for example Zapier, Make and Power Automate.
- Integrate AI and automation technologies to collect, process, and manage data effectively, enabling intelligent and efficient system operation.
- Iterate solutions based on testing and feedback to ensure reliability, security, accessibility, and alignment with organisational needs.
- Support in the identification and evaluation of opportunities for increased productivity. For example, use of low-or no-code tools, streamlining processes and use of AI platforms.
- Contribute to sustainable and efficient AI and automation solutions.
- Support with the delivery of training to technical and non-technical user groups or audiences adapting content and format responding to feedback and organisational context.
- Work collaboratively to deploy AI and automation strategies. Support where required to deal with the impact of automation for example retraining, redeployment, or upskilling of affected staff.
- Work with others to achieve agreed outcomes or outputs. Provide evidence- based analysis and insight to leaders on the likely human impacts of automation projects.
- Keep up to date with existing, evolving, emerging technologies and sector trends in AI, automation and technology including methods to evaluate vendor and supplier solutions.
- Apply ethical and human-centred design principles when scoping, developing and deploying automation and AI solutions, underpinned by robust governance.
- Apply algorithmic impact assessment and workforce equality monitoring techniques when scoping, implementing, and reviewing AI and automation projects. Gather and analyse relevant workforce data, identify potential equality risks, and contribute evidence-based recommendations to support fair and inclusive adoption.
- Follow ethical, responsible and safe working practices respecting confidentiality and sensitive organisational matters.
- Engage with non-technical staff to understand their roles, responsibilities, and concerns when automation solutions are proposed and implemented. Adapt approach to support workers needs when implementing solutions that impacts the workforce.
- Review and complete workflow and process mapping to identify problems or inefficiencies and recommend solutions including pilots, Incremental changes and scaling opportunities.
- Apply Analytical and computational techniques using tools and datasets to design, evaluate, and optimise automation solutions.
- Design, integrate, and test digital workflows and AI automation tools using APIS, connectors, or low-or no-code integration methods.
- Identify opportunities to deliver automation. Support leaders in integrating ethical, empathetic approaches when decision-making.
- Make evidence based suggestions to support governance, outcomes and facilitate improvement for example cost benefit analysis.
- Report on productivity and efficiency savings and the opportunities for automation and where applicable when automation does not improve experience or processes.
- Contribute to creation and or adaption of resources such as user guides, training materials, process documents to meet user requirements.
- Undertake data analysis, preparation, and conversion to support automation solutions.
- Present and communicate information including the translation of technical concepts into accessible materials to support clear dialogue with stakeholders.
- Use project management principles, techniques and tools to support the development of clear, balanced communications and briefings, articulating both opportunities and risks.
- Apply technical understanding to help align business needs with technical capabilities, supporting the development of solutions that are scalable, efficient and aligned with the organisation's strategic objectives.
- 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.
Behaviours
- Demonstrates empathy by actively considering the perspectives and concerns of staff who may be impacted by AI- driven change. Acts responsibly, recognising organisational efficiency goals with fairness to employees.
- Support leaders to consider the impact of AI adoption, not just immediate organisational gains.
- Maintains professionalism and upholds confidentiality when discussing sensitive workforce impacts, showing respect for individual contributions.
- Balances respect for leadership decisions with advocacy for employees.
- Shows curiosity and initiative, experimenting with AI and automation, while ensuring such exploration is conducted safely, ethically, and with regard for potential impacts.
Who is the AI and automation practitioner (Level 4) suitable for?
- IT or digital professionals wishing to specialise in AI and automation.
- Data specialist, administrators, Individuals passionate about streamlining systems, processes and improvement practitioners.
- Those in change management roles, web develops, digital designers and those in digital support roles.
Find the full qualification specifications here
Whether you are a learner or employer, National Upskill are here to assist you.
If you have any questions for our team, please get in touch at info@nationalupskill.co.uk.
You can also call us at 0333 772 9534.
