Co-design that delivers: why partner-built apprenticeships fit better and work harder

If you are using apprenticeship funding to build transformation capability, fit matters. Fit to real roles, real service challenges, and the operating rhythm your people are working within.

That is why Estu co-designs programmes with partners. Co-design acts as the mechanism that connects learner progress with organisational objectives. The combination, making work inherently developmental shows up in measurable gains in productivity, employee engagement and performance.

What we mean by co-design

Co-design is building programmes and learning pathways in context. We start with the reality of transformation and work with employers, sector partners and delivery specialists to shape:

• the connection between learning and objectives, both for personal development and organisational performance
• the priority areas for change and the communities involved
• the behaviours that support change in practice
• the delivery model that respects busy jobs

Co-design does not mean a different programme for every employer. It means a strong core designed around real work, and a practical structure that makes application easier in different contexts.

Why fit matters now

Most service organisations do not struggle with ambition. They struggle with consistency.

Change often slows because:

• teams do not share the same definition of the problem
• decisions take too long because evidence is partial
• stakeholders are engaged late, so buy-in is fragile
• delivery pressure squeezes time for learning, even when the need is clear

When a programme is not built for those realities, application is harder than it needs to be. People attend and work hard, and leaders may struggle to point to what has changed.

Co-design is how we reduce that risk. It builds a clearer line from learning to workplace outcomes.

Completion is a quality signal

Apprenticeships only create value when learners are supported to complete and apply what they learn.

National data shows that a significant number of apprenticeships do not end in achievement. That is not a criticism of apprentices or employers. It is a reminder that programme fit, delivery quality, and day-to-day support determine whether learning survives the realities of the job.

Against that backdrop, Estu’s apprenticeship programmes have maintained a drop-out rate under 2.5% against national averages at nearly 50%. We treat that as a signal that fit, delivery quality, and learner support are doing what they should. Co-design with partners is a key part of that, because it builds clearer expectations, stronger sponsorship, and workplace outputs that matter. 

When the programme reflects the work, apprentices are more likely to stay engaged, employers are more likely to sponsor effectively, and outputs are more likely to be useful.

Activating transformation

Learning investment should produce measurable capability and commercial impact.

We describe this as activating transformation: turning learning investment into capability, confidence and results that show up in delivery.

For employers, that shows up in three repeatable outcomes:

1. Clear framing of the service challenge, grounded in human insight and data
2. Decision-ready options with trade-offs leaders can back
3. Follow-through supported by stakeholder alignment and measures that matter

This is not theory. It is a method teams can repeat, and evidence leaders can trust.

How this shows up in our flagship Level 6 programme

Estu’s flagship Commercial Innovation and Change Leadership (CICL) is a degree level apprenticeship.

It is designed for professional organisations doing real change work, and it is structured to produce workplace outputs while teams learn.

The delivery model reflects senior roles and busy teams:

• mostly online, with quarterly in-person sessions (typically London)
• around 24 hours per month alongside the day job
• £15,000 tuition, typically funded via the Apprenticeship Levy, with support routes for many non-levy employers
• includes a Level 6 CMI Award with a pathway to Chartered Manager status

What drives our activity is the link between learning and impact. When the programme fits, leaders see more clear evidence, stronger alignment, and better decisions, without creating extra noise.

The modular direction, and why it matters for Level 4

We are also co-designing our upcoming Level 4 apprenticeships with partners. The goal is the same: build capability that sticks because it fits the work.

A modular approach is central to that, because it makes it easier for employers to plan, support and measure progress.

Modular works because it:

• aligns learning to current service priorities and capacity
• creates natural review points for outputs and progress
• helps leaders sponsor specific outcomes, rather than vague development goals
• supports progression, building capability in stages and then deepening it

Modular is not fragmented learning. It is structured learning that respects how services actually operate.

What this means for employers

If you want apprenticeships that change how work gets done, focus on three things:

• Fit: does the programme reflect real roles and constraints?
• Outputs: can you name what will exist at work because of the programme?
• Support: is delivery quality strong enough to help people complete and apply?

Co-design is how we keep all three in view. It raises the chance that apprenticeship investment becomes real capability and measurable impact.

Book a CICL Employer Discovery Call

If you are considering programmes for your developing leaders and helping to drive transformation across all levels in the organisation, we would welcome a conversation.

Friendly discovery call with one of the team – get in touch