How to Use the Apprenticeship Levy to Upskill an Existing Employee – Fast, Simple, and 95% Funded

Yes, you can use government funding to train an existing employee in new skills. It’s fast. It’s simple. And for most SMEs, it’s 95% funded - or even completely free.

Upskilling your team doesn’t have to mean recruiting new people.

In fact, growing the skills of the staff you already trust often gets better results - for less money. If you’ve got someone ready to step into a new role, specialise further, or lead on something new, the apprenticeship levy could be your fastest, most cost-effective route.

At The Coders Guild, we make that process simple.

Why businesses are choosing to upskill from within

• It’s almost free: If you’re a levy-paying organisation, the cost is covered. If not, you only contribute 5%.
• It’s faster than hiring: Recruitment takes months. Internal upskilling can start within weeks, and apprenticeships can take as little as 8 months for experienced team members.
• It builds loyalty: Offering a clear path for career progression increases retention and motivation.
• It’s strategic: You can target training to fill real skill gaps, not just tick boxes.

Here’s how it works

• Tell us what you need We’ll start with a short call to understand your team and your goals.
• We help you choose the right training From DevOps and software testing to agile project leadership and accessibility - we’ll recommend the right apprenticeship training pathway.
• We map the skills gap We carry out a full skills scan to identify what the employee already knows and what they still need.
• We tailor the training No one-size-fits-all syllabus. We build the programme around your needs, using our existing modules and adding extra funded content where needed.
• You see results fast Because the training is aligned with real business needs, many of our employer partners see ROI within three months.

Apprenticeships that are designed for market trends

Whether it’s software testers levelling up in automation, project managers building QA expertise, or developers transitioning into DevOps - we’ve helped hundreds of businesses grow high-performing teams from the inside.

And our process is fully managed. That means less paperwork, fewer delays, and hands-on support every step of the way.

Start with one call

If you’ve got someone in mind - or even if you just want to explore your options - book a quick call with us. We’ll talk through what’s possible and help you make a plan.

Ready to explore your levy fund options?