FATP · an independent directoryApprenticeship data sourced from DfE, ESFA and IfATEUpdated daily · GB
L4Apprenticeship5481 approved provider
The Level 4 DevOps engineer, and the 1 provider delivering it.
Enabling organisations to get valuable working software out in front of active users and improving the quality of digital services.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn to design, build, test, and release software while managing the cloud infrastructure it runs on. The programme covers infrastructure as code, CI/CD pipelines, containerisation, monitoring, and automated testing. Apprentices develop the skills to work across both the development and operations sides of software delivery, understanding how code behaves in production and how to troubleshoot when things go wrong. Security, version control, and continuous improvement practices are all part of the curriculum, alongside agile ways of working and collaboration within delivery teams.
Day-to-day responsibilities
A typical week involves writing and maintaining pipeline configurations, provisioning cloud infrastructure using tools such as Terraform or Ansible, and contributing to sprint ceremonies alongside developers, testers, and product owners. Apprentices monitor live services, respond to incidents, and help diagnose performance issues. They write scripts to automate repetitive operational tasks and work with version control systems like Git. Depending on the organisation, they may manage container platforms such as Kubernetes or Docker and support the deployment of new releases into production environments.
Career outlook
On completion, common job titles include DevOps engineer, platform engineer, site reliability engineer, and infrastructure engineer. With experience, engineers progress into senior DevOps or platform roles, cloud architecture, or technical leadership positions. Employers span almost every sector, including financial services, central and local government, healthcare technology, retail, and software product companies. Larger organisations often have dedicated platform or cloud engineering teams, while smaller businesses and agencies may expect a broader remit covering both development and operations work.
1 approved provider
Sorted by achievement rate.
ANS
Employer: 4.0
ANS is a UK-based technology company that delivers an Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ apprenticeship prog...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads into roles such as DevOps Engineer, Platform Engineer, Deployment Engineer, Build and Release Engineer, or Site Reliability Engineer. Some completers move into Infrastructure Engineer or Automation Engineer positions, depending on where their interests and employer needs align. Those who developed stronger application-layer skills during the programme sometimes step into Full Stack Developer roles, particularly in smaller teams where the development and operations boundary is narrower.
Progression paths
Within three to five years, many engineers move into Senior DevOps Engineer or Senior Platform Engineer positions, taking ownership of more complex infrastructure design decisions and mentoring junior colleagues. Beyond that, two distinct tracks tend to open up. A leadership track leads toward Engineering Manager or Head of Platform roles. A specialist track points toward Principal Engineer or Cloud Architect positions, with depth in areas such as Kubernetes, security engineering, or large-scale observability. Professional cloud certifications from AWS, Google, or Microsoft are common alongside progression.
Where these roles sit
Demand for this skillset is spread across virtually every sector of the UK economy. Financial services firms, NHS trusts and other public sector bodies, defence contractors, media organisations, and e-commerce businesses all hire into these roles regularly. Digital agencies and software product companies are consistent employers, as are the larger government departments running modern digital services. Both large enterprise IT functions and small product-focused teams hire at this level, giving completers a wide choice of working environment and sector.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Assessment runs throughout employment rather than being detached from day-to-day work. The apprentice builds technical competence across the full DevOps discipline, covering areas such as cloud infrastructure, automation, continuous integration and delivery, and the security and reliability of live services. Before reaching final assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, a readiness check carried out by the employer and training provider to confirm the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for the role have been met. Final assessment then confirms that competence independently. Assessment models for many standards are currently being updated, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
The most practical step is to capture workplace evidence from the start. Every meaningful piece of work, whether it is writing infrastructure-as-code, contributing to a release pipeline, or resolving an incident in a live environment, is potential evidence of competence. Leaving this until late in the programme creates unnecessary pressure. Regular check-ins with the employer and training provider help ensure the apprentice's work aligns with what the final assessment requires, and that gaps in knowledge or experience are addressed well before the gateway.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Look for providers whose tutors and technical coaches have hands-on DevOps or cloud engineering backgrounds, not just generic IT delivery experience. On FATP, an achievement rate above 75% signals that apprentices are completing and passing end-point assessment consistently. Check that employer satisfaction scores are high and read learner reviews for mentions of practical, tool-based learning rather than purely classroom theory. Providers should be able to name the platforms, languages and toolchains they teach: expect coverage of cloud providers (AWS, Azure or GCP), container orchestration, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure-as-code tools such as Terraform or Ansible.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious if a provider cannot give a straight answer about which cloud platforms and DevOps toolchains feature in their curriculum, or if their course materials reference deprecated tools or outdated workflows. A large learner volume paired with a falling achievement rate, or unusually thin learner reviews, can indicate stretched delivery capacity. Providers who describe their teaching in vague terms such as "digital skills" without specifying pipelines, version control or cloud environments are unlikely to prepare apprentices for real delivery team work.
Questions to ask before you commit
- Which cloud platforms do apprentices work with during the programme, and are those environments hands-on or just demonstrated?
- What CI/CD tools and infrastructure-as-code frameworks are taught, and when were the materials last updated?
- How do you support apprentices whose employer uses a different cloud platform or toolchain to the one you primarily teach?
- What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the past two years?
- Can you share examples of the kinds of roles your completers have moved into after finishing the apprenticeship?
- How are off-the-job learning hours structured, and how do you coordinate with line managers to protect that time?
- What does end-point assessment preparation look like, and how many of your apprentices pass first time?
Common questions
What entry requirements do employers and candidates need to meet for this apprenticeship?
There are no nationally mandated entry qualifications, but most employers expect applicants to have some grounding in IT, software development, or systems administration. Many successful candidates come with A-levels, a relevant level 3 qualification, or prior work experience in a technical role. Apprentices must be employed throughout and spend the majority of their time doing genuine job tasks. English and maths at level 2 are typically required before the end-point assessment if not already held.
How long does the apprenticeship take and what does the time commitment look like?
The typical duration is 24 months, though the exact minimum and the required proportion of off-the-job learning are subject to ongoing revision under current Skills England reforms. Check the latest specification on gov.uk for the current figures. What remains constant is that the apprentice is employed full time, combining practical work with structured learning throughout. The employer and training provider agree a training plan before the apprenticeship starts.
How is the apprentice assessed at the end?
Before taking the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through the gateway, which means the employer, training provider, and apprentice all confirm that the required knowledge, skills, and behaviours have been demonstrated to the necessary standard. Assessment models for many standards are being updated, so check the current specification on gov.uk for the precise assessment methods that apply. Assessment typically requires the apprentice to show competence across the full range of technical and professional duties covered by the standard.
How does an employer pay for this apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £17,000, which sets the maximum the government will contribute toward training costs. Large employers who pay the apprenticeship levy use their levy account to fund it. Smaller employers co-invest, typically contributing 5% of the training cost while the government pays the remaining 95%. If your organisation has fewer than 50 employees and takes on an apprentice aged 16 to 18, the government covers the full training cost. Funding does not cover the apprentice's wage.
What does a DevOps engineer apprentice actually do day to day?
Day-to-day work involves writing and maintaining code for cloud infrastructure, building and managing automated deployment pipelines, monitoring live services, and troubleshooting issues that arise in production environments. Apprentices work within agile delivery teams alongside developers, platform engineers, and business stakeholders. They take responsibility for the full software lifecycle, from design and build through to release and iteration, applying infrastructure-as-code practices rather than managing physical hardware in a traditional sysadmin capacity.
What can someone do after completing this apprenticeship?
Completers are well placed for roles such as platform engineer, site reliability engineer, automation engineer, or full stack developer. From there, progression typically leads toward senior or lead engineer positions, cloud architecture, or technical leadership. Some move into related specialisms such as security engineering or data engineering. Further qualifications at level 6 or 7, including degree apprenticeships in digital or technology fields, are a natural next step for those who want to formalise higher-level technical or management expertise.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 548.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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