OneAdvanced backs future skills with levy pledge

OneAdvanced has pledged up to 20% of its Apprenticeship Levy until 2030 to fund learning opportunities for organisations across the UK, starting in the West Midlands. Framed as an effort to “break down barriers” to careers in AI, data and technology, the initiative targets organisations in disadvantaged areas or sectors where access to high-quality training is limited.

As we noted last year, the supplier is positioning itself as a secure, UK-sovereign AI platform provider for mid-market and public sector customers (see OneAdvanced launches sovereign AI service). Investing in AI and data skills – not only internally but across its ecosystem – strengthens the talent pipeline required to support that ambition.

There is also a clear social value dimension. As we outlined in our report on Social Value in the Public Sector, under the government’s revised Social Value Model, suppliers are expected to demonstrate mission-aligned impact and genuine additionality. That means proving that levy transfers enable apprenticeships that would not otherwise have taken place – rather than simply reallocating existing training spend or supporting recruitment the company would have undertaken anyway.

For customers, particularly in Local Government, Education, and Health – sectors where OneAdvanced is well embedded – the offer could ease acute digital skills shortages whilst deepening supplier relationships. For the wider market, it adds to the growing trend of suppliers using apprenticeships to differentiate, build loyalty and future-proof delivery capacity (see also our coverage recent commitments by Atos, CGI, and The Access Group).

If OneAdvanced can evidence that its pledge unlocks new AI and data skills capacity in underserved regions, with measurable progression into sustained employment, it will strengthen both its social value credentials and its customer relationships. However, with Public Sector buyers facing rising social value scrutiny, robust outcome tracking will matter as much as headline commitments to prove that such initiatives can truly deliver the socio-economic impact they intend.

Posted by: Craig Wentworth at 09:52

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training
 

apprenticeships