At BT Business, we’re using AI to radically transform how we work and to better serve our customers, whether it be SMBs using AI to grow their businesses or enabling critical elements of the UK public sector’s digital transformation.
AI training for all Business colleagues
The foundation of our AI transformation will be our people. That’s why we’re announcing today that BT Business is launching tailored AI training for all 11,000 of our employees across all roles and disciplines.
All BT Business staff will receive a course of training modules that support people at all stages of AI knowledge – from AI fundamentals to role-specific training, supported by coaching from leaders and line managers.
The skills programme is provided by Avanade and Microsoft, who will provide dedicated webinars and learning pathways for participants, as well as resources for managers to create tailored study plans for their teams.
New AI roles in Business
Today, in National Apprenticeship Week, BT Business is also launching the first BT apprentice and graduate roles fully dedicated to AI as part of its 2026 intake. In parallel, we’ve also announced that we’ll be providing hundreds of new AI & Data apprenticeships for existing colleagues, enabling them to train in new fields.
This reflects BT’s continued commitment to early careers opportunities and to growing its pipeline of specialist talent at the cutting edge of technology, with roles available across the UK.
In partnership with leading educational technology company Multiverse, these Business staff will be given the chance to develop new AI, data, automation and technology skills. As one of the UK’s largest private sector employers of apprentices, participants in both schemes will join more than a thousand employees who are currently completing an apprenticeship at BT.
Our commitment to the UK
BT’s investment in AI upskilling aligns with our commitment to grow AI skills across the UK. BT is a founding partner in the Government’s AI Skills Boost programme, which aims to upskill 10 million workers with AI skills by 2030. Alongside major industry and public sector organisations, BT is supporting colleagues and customers to access training that helps them confidently participate and thrive in an AI-enabled world.
BT also works in partnership with Babington, one of the UK’s largest apprenticeship training providers, to provide a £4m Apprenticeship Fund to support SMEs, charities and public sector organisations across England. Now in its third year, this programme helps to train new apprentices and upskill existing staff, with £1.6m allocated so far to support 223 apprentices across 142 employers.
Seizing the AI future
Investing to stay at the cutting edge of technology, including AI, is crucial to our customers and to our employees, and BT will continue to invest to ensure that we remain at the forefront of our industry, as we have for 180 years.
These new AI training and career pathways are designed to enable our current and future talent to ensure they have the lifelong skills they and BT need for the future, so we can innovate and deliver faster. AI does not transform businesses; people do.
One of the recipients of the fund is the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity (MAAC), based at Cosford. They deliver vital pre-hospital care across six West Midlands counties, responding to around 4,300 emergencies a year and often reaching patients within 10 minutes. Entirely funded by public and business donation, the charity relies on volunteers but also needs a skilled staff team. With limited HR capacity, MAAC received £4,500 from BT’s Apprenticeship Fund to support a HR apprentice – an investment it could not have made without this funding.
Emily Browne, head of education and training for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, said: “Our people are at the heart of everything we do. We want to thank the teams at Babington and BT for enabling our people to be part of the BT Group Apprenticeship Fund scheme and further develop our skills.”
