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L3Apprenticeship1422 approved providers
The Level 3 It Technical Salesperson, and the 2 providers delivering it.
Selling technical products and services, such as data storage and cloud services, for a company.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn how to sell technical products and services, including areas such as data storage, cloud services, networking, and software solutions. The programme covers the full sales cycle, from prospecting and qualifying leads through to presenting solutions and closing deals. Apprentices also develop an understanding of the technical products they are selling, allowing them to have informed conversations with customers, handle objections, and match solutions to business needs.
Day-to-day responsibilities
A typical week involves responding to inbound enquiries, following up with prospects, and maintaining records in a CRM system. Apprentices prepare quotes and proposals, liaise with technical colleagues to scope solutions, and attend or run product demonstrations for customers. They track their pipeline, report on sales activity, and work toward individual or team targets. Email, phone, and video calls are the primary channels for customer contact.
Career outlook
After completing this apprenticeship, progression typically leads to roles such as Account Manager, Technical Sales Executive, or Business Development Manager. With experience, routes open into senior sales positions, pre-sales consultancy, or solutions architecture, depending on whether the individual wants to stay closer to the commercial or technical side. Employers hiring for this role include IT resellers, managed service providers, software vendors, cloud and infrastructure providers, and technology distributors across a wide range of industries.
2 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
Apprentify
Employer: 4.0
Apprentify is a specialist digital and tech apprenticeship and training provider that focuses on hel...
Achievement Training
Achievement Training Limited (ATL) is a private training organisation based in Plymouth city centre,...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads into roles such as IT Sales Executive, Technical Sales Consultant, or Junior Account Manager within a technology or IT services business. Some completers move into pre-sales support positions, working alongside senior sales engineers to qualify leads and prepare technical proposals. The focus in these early roles is managing a defined customer base, hitting revenue targets, and building product knowledge across areas such as cloud services, networking, or managed IT support.
Progression paths
Within three to five years, many people in this field move into Senior Account Manager, Business Development Manager, or Technical Sales Specialist roles, taking on larger accounts or more complex solution sales cycles. Those who lean into the technical side can progress toward Pre-Sales Engineer or Solutions Consultant positions. Longer-term leadership tracks include Sales Team Leader, Regional Sales Manager, or Head of Sales, while deep specialists may move into vendor-side roles, working directly for hardware or software manufacturers in partner-facing or channel sales functions.
Where these roles sit
The strongest demand comes from IT resellers, managed service providers, cloud hosting businesses, and software vendors. Telecoms companies and cybersecurity firms also recruit heavily into technical sales. Most employers are small to mid-sized businesses, though large IT distributors and global technology companies all run structured sales teams that take on people at this level. Public sector frameworks and government-contracted IT suppliers add a further layer of consistent demand, particularly in local government and NHS-facing technology sales.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Throughout the programme, the apprentice learns on the job while working in a technical sales role, building the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to sell IT products and services effectively. Before final assessment, the apprentice and employer confirm readiness through a gateway review, which checks that the required evidence and experience are in place. Final assessment then determines whether the apprentice can competently perform the role, covering areas such as product knowledge, customer engagement, and commercial judgement. 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
Building a strong record of workplace activity from early in the apprenticeship makes the gateway stage considerably easier. Apprentices should keep documented evidence of real sales conversations, technical product knowledge, and customer interactions as they happen, rather than trying to reconstruct them later. Working closely with both the employer and training provider to understand what evidence is expected, and reviewing progress against the standard regularly, means there are no surprises when readiness for final assessment is being considered.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Look for providers with an achievement rate above 65% on their FATP profile, and check whether employer satisfaction scores reflect genuine employer involvement in delivery. For this standard, the provider should be able to demonstrate that apprentices get hands-on exposure to realistic sales scenarios, including qualifying leads, handling technical objections, and working with actual or simulated product portfolios relevant to current IT markets, such as cloud, SaaS, or managed services. Providers who work with a spread of IT employers, from resellers to vendors to managed service providers, tend to produce apprentices who can adapt across different sales environments.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious if a provider cannot explain how they keep technical content current. IT sales moves quickly, and a curriculum built around outdated product categories or obsolete sales methodologies is a real problem. Watch for high learner volumes paired with a declining achievement rate, which can indicate stretched coaching capacity. If a provider struggles to name the kinds of roles alumni have moved into, or cannot describe how they connect apprentices to live sales activity rather than purely classroom-based learning, treat that as a concern.
Questions to ask before you commit
- What IT product and service categories does your curriculum currently cover, and when was it last reviewed?
- How do apprentices practise handling technical objections from customers during the programme?
- What is your achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the past two years?
- Can you describe the typical employer profile in your cohorts, and are any of them in a similar sector to ours?
- How do you involve our internal sales managers or technical staff in the apprentice's development?
- What roles have previous apprentices moved into after completing this standard?
- How large are your cohorts, and how much one-to-one coaching time does each apprentice receive?
Common questions
What are the entry requirements for the IT Technical Salesperson apprenticeship?
There are no fixed national entry requirements, so employers set their own criteria. Most look for a good standard of English and maths, ideally GCSE grade 4 or above, along with a genuine interest in technology and sales. Apprentices who already work in a customer-facing or IT support role often have a head start. If a candidate does not hold the required English and maths grades, they will need to achieve Functional Skills Level 2 during the apprenticeship.
How long does the apprenticeship take and what does the time commitment look like?
The typical duration is 12 months, though this depends on the individual's prior experience and employer context. Apprentices are employed throughout and learn on the job, combining day-to-day sales duties with structured study. Current off-the-job training requirements are subject to revision under ongoing Skills England reforms. Check the current specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education website at gov.uk for up-to-date details before planning delivery.
How is the IT Technical Salesperson apprenticeship assessed?
Before completing, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, where the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has met all required knowledge, skills, and behaviours. End-point assessment typically involves practical elements such as a work-based project or portfolio and a professional discussion. Assessment models for many standards are currently being reviewed. Check gov.uk for the current end-point assessment plan for this standard before committing to a delivery model.
How does funding work for employers taking on an IT Technical Salesperson apprentice?
The funding band for this standard is £12,000, which is the maximum that can be drawn from the apprenticeship levy or government co-investment to cover training and assessment costs. Levy-paying employers use funds from their digital account. Non-levy employers typically contribute 5 percent of training costs, with the government covering the rest. Employers with fewer than 50 staff who take on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing. Funding does not cover the apprentice's wage.
What does an IT Technical Salesperson apprentice actually do day to day?
Day-to-day work centres on selling technical products and services, which can include data storage solutions, cloud services, software licences, or managed IT services. Apprentices identify customer needs, prepare and present product recommendations, handle objections, and maintain client relationships. They also research competitor offerings, update CRM systems, and liaise with technical colleagues to ensure proposed solutions are deliverable. The role sits at the intersection of sales process and technical knowledge, requiring both commercial awareness and the ability to explain complex products clearly.
What can an IT Technical Salesperson apprentice progress to after completing the standard?
Completing this apprenticeship opens routes into senior or specialist sales roles, such as account manager, solutions sales consultant, or business development manager within IT and technology sectors. Some employers support progression into Level 4 or Level 6 apprenticeships covering sales leadership or IT disciplines. Others move into pre-sales technical consultancy or product specialist roles. The qualification also provides a solid grounding for those who want to progress through professional sales bodies or pursue vendor-specific technical certifications alongside their career.
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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: 142.
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.