For Gloucestershire businesses trying to keep pace with artificial intelligence, finding the right training can present a dilemma – particularly when employees need specific new skills, rather than a year-long qualification.
Now Gloucestershire College is offering a new, more flexible route, with short apprenticeship units designed to help employers tackle emerging skills gaps without committing staff to a full apprenticeship.
Introduced nationally as part of apprenticeship reforms, the government-backed units provide focused training for existing employees aged 19 and over.
For larger employers paying into the Growth and Skills Levy – generally those with an annual pay bill of more than £3 million – the change also creates a new way to put apprenticeship funds towards targeted workforce development. For non-levy payers, the government is currently fully funding the AI units for eligible employees.
Gloucestershire College is starting with AI Strategy & Opportunity, a 30-hour course led by AI strategy specialist Lorrin White from Time For Strategy. It combines three face-to-face sessions at Cheltenham campus with one day of blended learning. The training starts on Wednesday 11 November 2026, with limited places available.
Rather than teaching employees to code, the programme is aimed at the people making decisions about how AI should be used within an organisation – from senior managers and business leaders to those overseeing digital transformation.
During the training, participants will explore the rapidly changing AI landscape, identify where the technology could improve productivity and performance and assess which opportunities are genuinely worth pursuing.
The programme also covers organisational readiness, connecting AI with wider business strategy and turning ideas into practical next steps.
It makes the training particularly relevant for established businesses that know AI is becoming increasingly important, but are still working out where to invest their time and resources.
A former CEO and well-known figure in the Gloucestershire business community, Lorrin brings over 25 years’ experience driving growth and guiding organisations through change. She now leads Time For Strategy, helping boards and leadership teams develop confident leaders, embrace human-centred AI and turn strategy into action.
Lorrin said: 'AI is developing incredibly quickly, and for many businesses the challenge isn’t recognising that it matters, it’s knowing where to start and how to use it in a way that genuinely benefits the organisation.
'AI leadership training gives people the opportunity to step back from the hype and understand what AI means in practical business terms.
'It’s not simply about learning how to use the latest tools – it’s about developing the confidence to identify where AI can add value, understanding the opportunities and risks, and thinking strategically about how it can be introduced responsibly across an organisation.'
Gloucestershire College expects to introduce further apprenticeship units covering areas including AI adoption and governance, engineering, manufacturing and green technologies – giving employers more flexible ways to develop the skills they need.
For more information about AI Strategy & Opportunity and apprenticeship units at Gloucestershire College, visit gloscol.ac.uk/ai-apprenticeship-units.
