AI Engineer Degree Apprenticeship 2026 - Cloud Combinator

Cloud Combinator is an AWS Advanced Tier Partner that helps businesses adopt AI with confidence. We design, build and deploy production AI solutions on AWS, from agentic AI systems and generative AI applications to modern data platforms, with 40+ AI projects delivered into production. We are also NVIDIA and Anthropic partners, and part of the 3J Group. We are a small, senior, fast-moving team, which means you will work on real client projects from day one.

About the role:

Ready to launch your AI engineering career at the cutting edge? We are looking for an ambitious, motivated AI Engineer apprentice to join our team. You will work alongside senior engineers on live client projects while studying towards the Level 6 AI Engineer apprenticeship, a degree-level qualification delivered virtually by QA and tailored towards the AWS route.

The role is a blend of hands-on technical development, problem-solving and client collaboration, crafted for someone eager to learn fast and contribute to impactful projects. Around six hours per week are protected for apprenticeship learning, applied directly to the work you do with us.

Responsibilities:

• AI & cloud engineering: assist in the design, development and deployment of production generative AI and agentic AI solutions on AWS (including Amazon Bedrock) under the guidance of senior engineers, and support our Solution Architects with implementing cloud best practices
• Code quality & debugging: write clean, maintainable code and participate in code reviews. Take initiative in debugging, troubleshooting and resolving issues in collaboration with the team
• Client collaboration: join client calls, demos and project check-ins. Our engineers are customer-facing, so you will learn to communicate technical work clearly to non-technical audiences
• Learning & development: complete your apprenticeship modules (building with GenAI, optimising business processes with AI, AI security and ethics, deep learning and transformers, testing and deployment) and apply them to real projects. Work towards AWS certifications with our support
• Agile participation: engage in daily stand-ups, sprint planning and retrospectives, contributing insights to improve team workflows and deliver on time

You will be:

• Hands-on with code. Python is our main language, but we care more that you understand what your code is doing. Personal projects or a GitHub profile count as much as commercial experience, none of which is required
• Genuinely curious about AI. You have experimented with LLMs, AI coding tools or built something with AI models in your own time, and you can tell us why you want a career in it
• Aware of cloud fundamentals. Any AWS exposure is a plus, not a requirement
• An effective communicator who values collaboration and is comfortable speaking with clients
• A problem-solver who can independently seek out solutions and ask the right questions when needed
• Detail-oriented and committed to producing high-quality, reliable work

You will excel in this role if you:

• Are driven by learning and applying new technologies quickly and effectively
• Thrive in collaborative, dynamic environments and are committed to clear communication and continuous improvement
• Have a strong work ethic and take pride in delivering high-quality solutions
• Are excited to build a career in AI engineering and want to tackle complex problems with a forward-thinking team

Entry requirements:

Acceptable qualifications include any of:

• Two A-levels in one or more similar subject plus B in A-Level maths.
• Two A-levels in one or more similar subject plus 2-years work experience in tech.
• Level 4 or 5 apprenticeship in a similar technical subject.**
• International Baccalaureate at Level 3 in a similar subject.
• 3+ years in a similar subject-related role.
• A first degree in a numerate discipline (but excluding Computer Science as not fundable).

You may also have a combination of qualifications and experience which demonstrate the minimum foundation needed for the programme. In this instance you could still be considered for the programme.

If you hold international equivalents of the above qualifications, at the time of your application you must be able to provide an official document that states how your international qualifications compare to the UK qualifications.

Working hours: 40 hours per week, 7am to 4pm or 8am to 5pm, with 1 hour lunch break

Benefits:

• A funded degree-level qualification: the Level 6 AI Engineer apprenticeship delivered by QA, plus access to QA’s full learning platform during the programme and for a year after.
• Paid certifications & training: we fund AWS certifications and invest in your technical growth.
• Pension scheme: workplace pension.
• Team socials & events: a supportive, close-knit team that values learning and knowledge-sharing.
• Cutting-edge projects: hands-on exposure to Amazon Bedrock, Claude, and production AI systems used by real customers.

Future prospects:

90% of QA apprentices secure permanent employment after completing: this is 20% higher than the national average.

How to apply

To apply for this role and to find out more, please click on the apply button. Please note that applications may close before the application deadline, so apply early to avoid disappointment.