Improvement leader
Level 6 · DegreeBusiness and administration 1.5 yr typical
About this apprenticeship
What it involves
The Improvement Leader apprenticeship at Level 6 trains you to lead large-scale, complex change and continuous improvement programmes across an organisation, using advanced Lean, Six Sigma, and systems thinking methodologies. You will coach improvement practitioners, design transformation initiatives, and influence senior leaders to embed a culture of continuous improvement. It leads to Black Belt, Head of Continuous Improvement, and Operational Excellence Director roles.
On the job
What you’ll learn
Advanced Lean Six Sigma - Design for Six Sigma, complex value stream analysis
Leading organisational change management and transformation
Coaching and mentoring improvement practitioners and project teams
Statistical process control and advanced data analysis methods
Project portfolio management and prioritisation
Influencing board-level stakeholders and building business cases
Systems thinking, complexity theory, and organisational design
On the job
What you’ll do day to day
Sponsor and lead complex improvement projects across the organisation
Coach and develop Green and Black Belt practitioners
Facilitate workshops with senior leaders to set improvement strategy
Analyse complex processes and systems to identify root causes
Build and present business cases for improvement investment
Establish measures and track benefits realisation across programmes
Embed a continuous improvement culture through leadership and communication
The deal
How this apprenticeship works
You earn a wage from day one. You are a paid employee, not a student. There are no tuition fees - the training is funded by your employer and the government.
About 20% is “off-the-job” training. Roughly a day a week is spent learning away from your normal duties - at a college, training provider, or online - working towards a recognised qualification.
It ends with an end-point assessment (EPA). Near the end, an independent assessor checks you can do the job to the national standard - through tests, a project, a portfolio or an interview. Pass it and you are fully qualified.
How to get there
What you need to start
Level 6 (Degree) - roughly Bachelor’s-degree level. Usually needs A-levels or a Level 3 qualification (employers set UCAS-point targets). You earn a full degree while you work - with no tuition fees to pay.
What’s next: Leads into professional roles, sometimes with a Level 7 (Master’s) apprenticeship after.
Entry requirements are set by each employer and can vary - always check the specific vacancy.
Hear from employers
What it’s really like
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