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L5Apprenticeship7091 approved provider
The Level 5 Digital learning designer, and the 1 provider delivering it.
A digital designer works closely with colleagues to deliver high-quality learning activities.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn to scope, design, and develop digital learning materials, from online courses and interactive modules to video content and virtual simulations. The programme covers learning theory and instructional design methodologies, accessibility and UX principles, learning management system configuration, and project management. Apprentices also develop skills in multimedia production, stakeholder consultation, needs analysis, and evaluating learning effectiveness. They gain knowledge of how to align digital content with learning objectives, qualification frameworks, and organisational quality standards.
Day-to-day responsibilities
A typical week involves meeting with subject matter experts to gather content requirements, writing scripts or storyboards, and building interactive learning content using authoring tools such as Articulate Storyline or Rise. Apprentices configure and test modules on learning management systems, apply accessibility standards, and produce multimedia assets including audio and video. They contribute to quality assurance checks, respond to stakeholder feedback, and document project progress. Work is often split between independent design tasks and collaborative sessions with colleagues across L&D, IT, and operations.
Career outlook
Completing this apprenticeship leads to roles such as learning designer, instructional designer, e-learning developer, or learning technologist. From there, progression typically moves toward senior learning designer, learning design manager, or head of L&D. Employers span a wide range of sectors: further and higher education, public sector bodies, NHS and healthcare organisations, financial services, retail, telecommunications, and specialist digital learning agencies. Both in-house L&D teams and commercial content studios recruit at this level, making the qualification relevant across permanent and consultancy career paths.
1 approved provider
Sorted by achievement rate.
Apprentify
Employer: 4.0
Apprentify is a specialist digital and tech apprenticeship and training provider that focuses on hel...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completers typically move into roles such as Digital Learning Designer, Instructional Designer, Learning Technologist, E-learning Developer, or Learning Design Officer. These positions involve taking ownership of end-to-end design projects: scoping requirements with stakeholders, producing storyboards and multimedia content, configuring learning management systems, and ensuring outputs meet accessibility standards. Some completers step directly into roles within specialist digital learning studios; others join in-house learning and development teams.
Progression paths
Within three to five years, designers commonly advance to Senior Learning Designer or Lead Instructional Designer, taking responsibility for larger projects, mentoring junior colleagues, and advising on technology procurement. Two tracks tend to open from there. A leadership route leads toward Head of Learning Design or Learning and Development Manager, with accountability for team output and organisational learning strategy. A specialist route sees practitioners deepen expertise in a particular area, such as immersive and simulation-based learning, learning analytics, or accessibility consultancy, often operating as a subject matter expert or internal consultant.
Where these roles sit
Demand comes from a wide spread of sectors. Public sector employers include NHS trusts, universities, further education colleges, and central government departments with large-scale training needs. Private sector hiring spans financial services, retail, telecoms, and professional services firms running internal L&D functions. Specialist digital learning agencies and e-learning studios hire designers to deliver client-facing projects. Roles exist at both large organisations with dedicated learning teams and smaller providers where designers work across the full project lifecycle.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Throughout the programme, the apprentice learns on the job while their training provider supports the development of the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the standard. These cover areas such as instructional design, learning theory, accessibility, stakeholder engagement and multimedia production. Before moving to final assessment, the apprentice must pass a readiness check, often called the gateway, where the employer and provider confirm the apprentice has reached the required level of occupational competence. 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
Gathering evidence of real project work throughout the programme is essential, rather than trying to reconstruct it near the end. This means keeping records of design decisions, stakeholder communications, quality assurance activities and examples of completed digital learning products as they are produced. Apprentices should work closely with their line manager and training provider to track progress against the standard's requirements, address any gaps early, and make an informed judgement about gateway readiness well before the final assessment window opens.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Providers worth considering will have tutors who have worked as learning designers or learning technologists, not just trained teachers who have pivoted to L&D. Check whether the programme explicitly covers current authoring tools (Articulate Storyline, Rise, Adobe Captivate, or equivalents), LMS configuration, and accessibility standards such as WCAG. On FATP profiles, look for achievement rates above 65% and employer satisfaction scores that suggest genuine employer involvement in project briefs and reviews. Providers who can point to alumni working in recognisable digital learning roles, whether in-house studios, public sector L&D teams, or training companies, are a better bet than those who speak only in generalities about outcomes.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious if a provider's curriculum leans heavily on learning theory without evidence that apprentices are building and testing real digital learning products. If a provider cannot explain which authoring tools and platforms apprentices will use hands-on, that is a significant gap for a role where tool fluency matters from day one. A high volume of starts paired with a declining or opaque achievement rate warrants a direct question. Similarly, providers who struggle to describe how they engage subject matter experts or employers in realistic project scenarios may be delivering generic L&D training rather than a design-focused programme.
Questions to ask before you commit
- Which authoring tools, LMS platforms, and multimedia production software will apprentices use during the programme, and how frequently?
- Can you show us examples of digital learning products apprentices have built as part of their end-point assessment?
- How does the programme address accessibility standards, specifically WCAG 2.1 compliance, within practical design tasks?
- What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the last two cohorts?
- How do you involve the employer in setting realistic briefs or projects so that apprentices are working on tasks relevant to our context?
- What support is in place for apprentices who are working independently rather than within a specialist team?
- Can you connect us with any employers or completers from a similar sector so we can hear about their experience directly?
Common questions
What are the entry requirements for the digital learning designer apprenticeship?
There are no nationally set entry requirements for this standard, so employers set their own. In practice, most employers look for some prior experience in a learning, education, or digital production role, along with good written communication skills. Apprentices must be employed in a role where they can genuinely practise designing and developing digital learning materials. Candidates who already hold a relevant degree or professional qualification can still be eligible, provided the apprenticeship adds new occupational competence.
How long does the apprenticeship take and how does it fit around work?
The typical duration is 24 months, though the actual length depends on the apprentice's prior experience and how quickly they progress. Apprentices are employed throughout and learn on the job. A portion of their contracted hours must be spent on off-the-job training, the exact percentage is subject to current Skills England reforms, so check the latest specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education pages on gov.uk for the current requirement before planning a programme.
How is the apprenticeship assessed?
Before taking the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through gateway, where the employer, apprentice, and training provider confirm the apprentice has met all knowledge, skills, and behaviour requirements. Assessment models for many standards are being reviewed as part of ongoing reforms, so consult the current assessment plan on gov.uk for the precise methods that apply. Generally, the apprentice must demonstrate competence across the full scope of the role, including design, development, stakeholder management, and quality assurance of digital learning products.
How does an employer pay for this apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £16,000, which is the maximum that can be drawn from the apprenticeship levy or government co-investment. Large employers with a levy account use those funds directly. SMEs that do not pay the levy contribute 5% of the training cost, with the government covering the remaining 95%. If the apprentice is aged 16 to 18 and the employer has fewer than 50 staff, training is fully funded by the government. Costs are paid to the training provider, not as wages.
What does a digital learning designer apprentice actually do day to day?
Day-to-day work involves scoping learning needs with subject matter experts, writing scripts and storyboards, and building online courses, interactive modules, videos, and other digital content using authoring tools and learning management systems. Apprentices also carry out accessibility and quality checks, gather learner feedback and analytics, and contribute to project documentation. They liaise with a range of colleagues, including IT, operations, and external clients, and are expected to work independently on deliverables while reporting progress to a project or line manager.
What can a digital learning designer do after completing the apprenticeship?
Typical job titles on completion include learning designer, instructional designer, e-learning developer, and learning technologist. With experience, progression routes include senior learning designer, learning design manager, or head of learning and development. Some move into consultancy or establish themselves as freelance specialists. The knowledge of adult learning theory and educational technology built during the apprenticeship also supports entry onto relevant postgraduate programmes or professional body membership, such as that offered by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or the Association for Learning Technology.
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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: 709.
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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