Marvin OnumonuZurich UK has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) apprenticeship programme, investing nearly £1.3m in upskilling staff.
A total of 92 employees are starting the 17-month course, which aims to build practical AI skills, confidence, and an ethical understanding of the technology.
The programme was developed with Corndel and Imperial College London, with support from Microsoft.
Training will be delivered through workshops and one-to-one coaching.
Apprentices will gain either a Level 3 or Level 4 qualification.
More than 100 staff applied, showing high demand for AI training.
The course covers AI ethics, governance, and human accountability, as well as how to use AI to improve productivity and collaboration.
Penny Jones, responsible AI lead at Zurich UK, said: “Zurich is a business built on strong relationships and delivering quality service to our customers and partners.
“Our use of AI doesn’t replace our people but enables them to focus on more meaningful, higher value work.
“That’s better for colleagues, and ultimately means a smoother, more personalised experience for the customers who rely on us.”
Jones added: “It’s great to see so many colleagues recognise the opportunity here and are keen to get involved.
“Importantly, every AI initiative we adopt has governance and ethics built in from the start and human accountability is key.
“Every solution we deploy is designed to be reliable, transparent, accountable, and genuinely human-centred.
“Understanding these principles is a key part of our new qualification.”
James Kelly, CEO at Corndel, said: “AI creates real value when people feel confident to use it well. Zurich’s AI Academy is a great example of how businesses can build practical AI skills on strong ethical foundations.
“We’re proud, alongside our partner Imperial College London, to be working with Zurich to develop the next generation of AI-ready professionals.”
The apprenticeship is part of Zurich’s wider AI strategy, which includes an AI taskforce, AI champions and peer-to-peer learning.
An internal poll found 70% of Zurich UK staff used AI tools daily or weekly.
Confidence in using AI averaged 3.5 out of 5, with half of respondents saying lack of knowledge was the main barrier to further adoption.
Asha Kumar, chief technology officer for Zurich UK, said: “AI is reshaping all aspects of work, from simple productivity hacks such as organising inboxes to using advanced data analysis programmes.
“At Zurich, we see the huge opportunities AI offers for us to get closer to our partners and customers, using carefully designed tools to increase our effectiveness and free up valuable time to collaborate and innovate.
“I’m proud of the investment we’re making to develop our people who will help us move the needle on AI, with an incredible 92 of our UK colleagues starting out on their AI Apprenticeship.”
Kumar added: “They’ll be equipped with the skills and knowledge to unlock the full potential of the tools available to us and I’m confident this first cohort will go on to become great ambassadors throughout the business, driving forward our AI ambitions for the benefit of everyone we work with.”
