AI Engineer Degree Apprentice

Purpose of the RoleThis is a hands-on engineering role combined with a structured degree apprenticeship. The successful candidate will be responsible for identifying opportunities to apply Artificial Intelligence, automation and modern digital technologies across service delivery, cyber security, documentation, reporting, knowledge management and client operations.As the first AI-focused employee within the organisation, this role offers the opportunity to shape how AI is adopted throughout the business. The apprentice will work closely with engineers, management and clients to develop practical solutions that improve productivity, enhance customer experience and create competitive advantage.The role is designed to develop an individual into a skilled AI Engineer capable of designing, implementing and governing AI-powered solutions in a commercial environment.Key ResponsibilitiesAI Innovation & ResearchResearch emerging AI technologies, platforms and best practices.Monitor developments in Microsoft Copilot, Azure AI, OpenAI, Power Platform and related technologies.Evaluate how new AI capabilities could improve internal operations and client services.Produce business cases and recommendations for AI initiatives.Internal AI AdoptionIdentify repetitive, time-consuming business processes suitable for automation or AI enhancement.Develop AI-powered solutions that improve efficiency across service delivery and administration.Assist departments in adopting AI tools effectively and safely.Create reusable AI prompts, workflows and templates for staff.Client AI SolutionsHelp identify opportunities where AI can benefit SME clients.Participate in client workshops and discovery sessions.Build proof-of-concepts and pilot projects.Support implementation of AI-powered services that align with client business objectives.Data & Knowledge ManagementAssist in developing internal knowledge bases and AI-enabled search solutions.Help prepare organisational data for AI consumption.Develop processes that improve data quality and usability.Support document classification, summarisation and knowledge extraction initiatives.Automation & IntegrationBuild integrations between business applications using APIs and automation platforms.Develop workflows using Microsoft Power Platform and other automation technologies.Assist with scripting and software development activities supporting AI projects.Maintain and improve existing automations.Security, Governance & ComplianceFollow Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001 and company security standards.Ensure AI solutions comply with data protection and privacy requirements.Participate in AI governance activities.Help develop responsible and secure AI adoption practices.Learning & Professional DevelopmentSuccessfully complete all apprenticeship coursework and degree requirements.Attend tutor-led training and workshops.Apply academic learning to real-world business challenges.Share learning outcomes with colleagues.Maintain an active portfolio of projects and achievements.Typical ProjectsExamples of work may include:AI-assisted Service Desk ticket triage.Automated knowledge article generation.Internal staff Copilot training and adoption programmes.AI-powered reporting and analytics.Customer service chatbots.Document summarisation solutions.AI-driven onboarding and offboarding workflows.Security event analysis and threat intelligence automation.Microsoft 365 Copilot implementation projects.Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) knowledge solutions.