Digital Apprenticeships in the UK: Inside the Level 3 Infrastructure Communication Technician Standard
England’s apprenticeship assessment reforms are changing how IT apprenticeships are planned, delivered and assessed. We look at one standard, Infrastructure Communication Technician Level 3, through the eyes of an apprentice and a training provider, and explain why digital and AI skills now matter well beyond IT.
- Under the 2025–26 reforms in England, apprenticeship assessment replaces end-point assessment and can happen throughout the programme.
- Infrastructure Communication Technician Level 3 maps closely to CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+, giving apprentices to option in gain vendor-neutral, industry-recognised certifications alongside their standard.
- Where a mandatory qualification covers a standard, no separate assessment is required, and providers can deliver and mark some elements where the plan allows.
- Digital, data, AI and cybersecurity skills now feature in non-tech standards, from Business Administrator to Operations/Departmental Manager.
Ask anyone who supports an organisation’s technology, and they will tell you the job keeps changing. Devices, networks, cloud services and security threats all move quickly, and employers need people who can keep up. For school leavers and career changers alike, a digital apprenticeship in the UK is one of the most direct routes to that work.
In this article we focus on one well-established entry point, the Infrastructure Communication Technician Level 3 apprenticeship standard, and hear from two people who know it well: an apprentice working towards it, and the training provider supporting them.
What does an Infrastructure Communication Technician Level 3 apprentice do?
Infrastructure Communication Technicians keep the technology an organisation depends on running. They set up and support devices, help colleagues solve problems, maintain networks, and spot security issues before they cause disruption.
CompTIA maps the learning objectives of its certifications to the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) in apprenticeship standards. For Infrastructure Communications Technicians, that means if the chosen provider bases their learning around CompTIA A+ for core hardware, software and troubleshooting skills, CompTIA Network+ for networking, and CompTIA Security+ for security fundamentals, apprentices are then prepared, if they wish, to take their CompTIA certification. Apprentices build competence for the standard and then also earn certifications that employers recognise.
The apprentice’s view: Why does a certification matter?
"Earning my CompTIA A+ certification shows I can take ownership of my own development, learn independently and commit to a demanding programme of study. The course combines technical theory, quizzes and hands-on labs, so the certification proves I have real knowledge and practical skills across a broad range of IT support topics.
For my employer, it's confidence that I'm building recognised technical expertise I can use every day on the Service Desk. It also shows that their investment in my apprenticeship is paying off, and that I'm becoming a more capable and reliable IT support professional.
I'm grateful for the chance to combine technical training with experience in the workplace. Studying for CompTIA A+ has helped me understand the reasoning behind many of the tasks I handle day to day.
For apprentices, vendor-neutral certification is evidence that travels. It describes what they can do, no matter what the technology that employer uses. They have the crucial underlying skills.”
Jonathan Mendieta Gutierrez, IT Service Desk Apprentice, Financial Ombudsman Service, Trained by BPP
The provider’s view: How do you build a programme around the standard?
For training providers, the task is to design a programme that meets the standard, fits around the apprentice's day job and produces competence that can be assessed with confidence.
“Employers want apprentices who can contribute from the first month. Working towards an industry certification mapped to the standard gives our learners clear goals, and gives employers a recognised signal of what their apprentice can do.”
Gary Martyn, ICT Programme Lead, BPP
What do the 2025 apprenticeship assessment reforms mean for IT apprenticeships?
The reforms to apprenticeships in England, introduced across 2025 and 2026, change how competence is tested. Apprenticeship assessment replaces end-point assessment (EPA), and assessment can now take place throughout the programme rather than only at the end.
“The move from end-point assessment to apprenticeship assessment gives providers room to recognise competence throughout the programme. Because we map our certifications to the knowledge, skills and behaviours in each standard, providers can build CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+ into an Infrastructure Communication Technician programme as milestones along the way, not just an end goal.”
Marie Cronin, EMEA Senior Account Executive, CompTIA
Assessment plans are shorter and more flexible. Where the plan allows, providers can deliver and mark some assessment elements themselves. Where a mandatory qualification covers the standard, no separate assessment organisation is required.
The direction is clear: modular, skills-focused programmes that test real workplace competence. Industry certifications from CompTIA are already mapped to a standard’s KSBs and suit the shorter, flexible assessment model well. They give apprentices, providers, and employers a recognised measure of progress throughout.
AI and digital skills matter in non-tech apprenticeships
From business administration and marketing to HR, leadership and tech jobs, digital confidence is becoming essential in every job role. Employees are expected to use AI tools effectively and responsibly, work with data to support decision-making, understand cybersecurity risks, collaborate through digital platforms, and adapt to new technologies.
That shift shows up across many standards, including:
- Business Administrator
- Multi-Channel Marketer
- HR Support and Content Creator (all Level 3)
- Operations/Departmental Manager (Level 5) and the new AI and Automation Practitioner standard.
CompTIA Tech+, Data+, and CompTIA Essentials Series help providers build these skills into programmes outside traditional IT.
“Digital confidence is no longer a specialist skill. Whether an apprentice is training as an infrastructure communication technician, a business administrator or a marketer, they will be expected to use AI tools responsibly, work with data and understand cyber risk. Our job is to help make every standard future-ready.”
Sophie Stocking, EMEA Marketing Director, CompTIA
How can training providers get started with CompTIA?
CompTIA is the global, non-profit IT trade association and the creator of vendor-neutral IT certifications. Its certifications are built for the industry, by the industry, and based on job roles, not just technology, which is why they are a popular choice for those developing apprenticeships.
CompTIA’s apprenticeship solutions cover 10 tech standards at Levels 3 to 5, from Infrastructure Communication Technician (Level 3) to Network Engineer (Level 4), with AI-ready learning for every standard beyond IT. Beyond IT. Every Standard. Future Ready.
Learn about CompTIA mapped learning for your standard
FAQs
What is the Infrastructure Communication Technician Level 3 apprenticeship?
Infrastructure Communication Technician Level 3 is an apprenticeship standard in England for people who support, maintain and troubleshoot an organisation’s IT systems, networks and users. CompTIA maps its learning objectives to the standard’s knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs), making CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+ a strong fit for apprentices and training providers.
What changed in the 2025 apprenticeship assessment reforms in England?
Under the 2025–26 reforms, apprenticeship assessment replaces end-point assessment (EPA). Assessment can now happen throughout the programme, plans are shorter and more flexible, and providers can deliver and mark some elements where the plan allows. Where a mandatory qualification covers the standard, no separate assessment organisation is required.
How do CompTIA certifications support apprenticeship standards?
CompTIA, the global non-profit IT trade association, maps the learning objectives of its vendor-neutral certifications to the KSBs in apprenticeship standards. Its UK apprenticeship solutions cover 10 tech standards at Levels 3 to 5, including Infrastructure Communication (Level 3) and Network Engineer (Level 4), using certifications such as CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+.
Do non-tech apprenticeships need AI and digital skills?
Yes. Digital, data, AI and cybersecurity skills now matter in non-tech standards such as Business Administrator, Multi-Channel Marketer and HR Support (all Level 3) and Operations/Departmental Manager (Level 5). CompTIA Tech+, Data+, AI Essentials and SecAI+ help apprentices use AI tools responsibly, work with data and understand cyber risk.