Growth & Skills Levy
Fund data & AI training for your team — at no cost
Funded by · Approved by
How the levy works
Your employer pays the levy
Companies with a payroll above £3M pay 0.5% into a digital account. Smaller employers get 95% government funding.
We deliver the training
Your employee joins an iO-Sphere programme — 6 hours a week, expert coaches, real data, and a nationally recognised qualification.
Nobody pays out of pocket
The levy covers the full cost. No invoice, no budget approval cycle, no individual payment. We handle the DfE paperwork.
Programmes funded by the levy
All are approved Department for Education standards, delivered by iO-Sphere's practitioner coaches.
AI Transformation
Worth £18,000. You pay £0.
Data & AI Essentials
Worth £13,000. You pay £0.
Data Engineering
Worth £19,000. You pay £0.
Data Analytics
Worth £15,000. You pay £0.
Data & AI Strategy
Worth £10,000. You pay £0.
Data & AI Governance
Worth £10,000. You pay £0.
Common questions about the levy
What is the Growth & Skills Levy?+
The Growth & Skills Levy (formerly Apprenticeship Levy) is a UK government scheme that funds workplace training. Employers with a payroll above £3 million pay 0.5% into a digital account. This money can only be used for approved training programmes — like iO-Sphere's funded qualifications.
What if my employer doesn't pay the levy?+
Smaller employers (payroll under £3 million) can still access funded training. The government covers 95% of the cost, with the employer contributing just 5%. For some programmes, levy-paying employers can transfer unused funds to smaller businesses — we can help arrange this.
Does the employee pay anything?+
Nothing. £0. The entire cost is covered by the levy or government co-investment. There is no cost to the individual learner.
How much time does it take?+
6 hours per week: 2 hours in a live session with your coach, 2 hours of self-paced learning, and 2 hours of dedicated project work. Structured to fit around a full-time job.
What qualifications are available?+
iO-Sphere offers 6 funded qualifications: AI Transformation (Level 4), Data & AI Essentials (Level 3), Data Engineering (Level 5), Data Analytics (Level 4), Data & AI Strategy (Level 4), and Data & AI Governance (Level 4). All are approved Department for Education standards.
Who is eligible?+
Any employee aged 19+, employed in England under PAYE, with the right to work in the UK and 3 years' UK/EU residency. No degree or technical background required.
What does iO-Sphere handle?+
Everything. We manage DfE registration, digital apprenticeship account setup (or access), training plan, progress tracking, and end-point assessment coordination. Your HR team signs the agreement — we do the rest.
How long do the programmes take?+
All programmes run for 15 months of training plus 3 months of end-point assessment. No exams — assessment is portfolio-based.
Find out if your employer qualifies
Most UK employers already have levy funds sitting unused. Book a free call and we'll check in under 10 minutes.