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L6Apprenticeship2931 approved provider
The Level 6 Digital marketer (integrated degree), and the 1 provider delivering it.
Leading on the creation and execution of a digital marketing strategy.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
At this level, the focus is on strategic digital marketing rather than execution alone. Apprentices develop skills in building and leading digital marketing strategies across channels including search, social, email, paid media, and content. The degree element adds grounding in consumer behaviour, data analytics, and marketing theory. Responsibilities typically include campaign planning, performance measurement, audience segmentation, and working with stakeholders to align marketing activity with broader business objectives.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Week to week, an apprentice at this level might be analysing campaign performance data, briefing creative or content teams, managing paid media budgets, and reporting on KPIs to senior stakeholders. They would be expected to use tools such as Google Analytics, CRM platforms, and marketing automation software. Alongside their employer role, they complete degree-level academic work, which means applying theoretical frameworks directly to real business challenges they are working on.
Career outlook
Completing this degree apprenticeship opens routes into mid-to-senior marketing roles. Typical job titles include Digital Marketing Manager, Campaign Manager, SEO or PPC Manager, and Head of Digital. Employers span sectors including retail, financial services, media, healthcare, and technology. Because the programme combines a full degree with substantive work experience, graduates are often well placed to progress quickly to management positions without the gap that can come from academic-only routes.
1 approved provider
Sorted by achievement rate.
Anglia Ruskin University ARU
Employer: 3.0
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is an innovative UK university offering a wide portfolio of learning ...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completing this degree-level standard typically leads into mid-weight to senior digital marketing positions rather than junior roles. Graduates commonly move into Digital Marketing Manager, Integrated Campaign Manager, or Marketing Strategist positions. Some move into specialist tracks from day one, taking up roles such as SEO Manager, Paid Media Manager, or CRM Manager, depending on where they focused during the programme.
Progression paths
Within three to five years, many move into Senior Digital Marketing Manager or Head of Digital roles. The leadership track leads toward Marketing Director or Chief Marketing Officer positions in larger organisations. The specialist track runs differently: deep expertise in paid media, data analytics, or marketing automation can lead to roles such as Performance Marketing Director or Head of CRM. A Level 6 qualification also supports lateral moves into product marketing or growth-focused roles in tech businesses.
Where these roles sit
Most hiring happens in organisations large enough to run a dedicated digital marketing function. That includes retail and e-commerce businesses, financial services firms, media agencies, technology companies, and travel and hospitality brands. Public sector bodies and NHS trusts also recruit at this level, particularly for communications and digital engagement work. Agency-side roles are common too, where the breadth of the integrated strategy focus maps well onto client-facing campaign management work.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Learning takes place alongside full-time employment, with the apprentice applying digital marketing knowledge and practice directly in their role throughout the programme. Before final assessment, a readiness check (commonly called the gateway) confirms that the apprentice and employer are satisfied the required knowledge, skills and behaviours have been developed to the standard needed. Final assessment then determines whether the apprentice can perform competently at the level expected of a degree-qualified digital marketing professional. Assessment for many standards is currently being updated as part of ongoing reforms, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Building a strong body of workplace evidence from the start of the programme makes the final stages considerably less pressured. Apprentices should keep records of real campaigns, strategic decisions, analytics work and any other activity that demonstrates their competence across the breadth of the role. Working closely with both the employer and the training provider to track progress against the knowledge, skills and behaviours framework means gaps can be addressed well before the gateway, rather than under time pressure at the end.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Look for providers whose achievement rates sit above 65% for this standard specifically, not just their overall portfolio. Strong providers will show employer satisfaction scores above 80% and learner reviews that mention real campaign work, not simulated exercises. Because this is a degree-level programme, check that the university partner is named clearly and that the curriculum covers current platforms, analytics tools and paid media frameworks, not a syllabus that reads like it was written five years ago. Providers who can point to alumni working in marketing manager or digital strategy roles carry more weight than those who can only describe the programme.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers with large cohort volumes but a declining or unverifiable achievement rate for this standard. Vague answers about which marketing platforms and analytics tools feature in the curriculum are a concern at this level. If a provider cannot describe how off-the-job learning connects to live campaign activity rather than classroom theory alone, that is worth probing. Providers who struggle to name employer partners or who have no learner reviews for this specific standard should prompt further questions before you commit funding.
Questions to ask before you commit
- What is your achievement rate for this specific standard, and how has it changed over the last two years?
- Which analytics platforms, paid media tools and content management systems feature directly in the curriculum?
- How do apprentices get exposure to real campaign strategy work rather than simulated briefs?
- Who is the university degree partner, and how integrated is the academic content with the workplace learning?
- Can you share examples of where previous apprentices are now working, and in what kinds of roles?
- How do you handle an apprentice whose employer changes significantly mid-programme?
- What does employer engagement look like in practice beyond the 20% off-the-job requirement?
Common questions
What qualifications or experience does someone need to start a digital marketer degree apprenticeship?
Entry requirements are set by individual training providers, but most expect at least two A-levels or equivalent Level 3 qualifications, plus GCSEs in English and maths at grade 4 or above. Some providers accept relevant work experience in lieu of formal qualifications. Apprentices must be in paid employment throughout, so a suitable role, typically involving real marketing responsibilities, needs to be in place before the apprenticeship starts.
How does the time commitment work for the employer and the apprentice?
The apprentice remains employed full-time throughout, splitting their time between the job and study. The current minimum duration and off-the-job training requirements are subject to revision under ongoing Skills England reforms. Check the latest specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education page at gov.uk before planning the arrangement with your training provider.
How is the apprenticeship assessed and what is the end-point assessment?
The apprentice must pass a gateway review before the end-point assessment. At gateway, the employer and provider confirm the apprentice has met the required knowledge, skills and behaviours. Assessment methods for many standards are being updated, so check gov.uk for the current end-point assessment approach for this standard. The assessment will require the apprentice to demonstrate competence in leading digital marketing strategy and execution at degree level.
How does funding work and what will the apprenticeship cost the employer?
The funding band for this standard is £21,000, meaning that is the maximum government contribution toward training costs. Large employers who pay the apprenticeship levy draw down funding from their levy account. SMEs that do not pay the levy co-invest with government, currently paying 5% of training costs with government covering the rest. If you take on an apprentice aged 16 to 18, training costs are fully covered regardless of your size.
What does a digital marketer at this level actually do day to day?
Day-to-day work involves leading the creation and execution of digital marketing strategies. That includes planning and running campaigns across channels such as paid search, social media, email and content, analysing performance data to inform decisions, managing budgets and briefing creative or technical teams. At Level 6 the expectation is that the apprentice takes ownership of strategy rather than simply executing tasks set by others, and that their decisions are informed by commercial objectives.
What can an apprentice progress to after completing this qualification?
Completing this apprenticeship results in a degree-level qualification, which opens routes into senior marketing roles such as digital marketing manager, head of digital or marketing director. Some graduates go on to chartered status through the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Others move into adjacent specialisms like data analytics, product management or growth marketing. The degree-level qualification also provides a foundation for postgraduate study if the apprentice wants to continue in education.
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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: 293.
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.