Introducing the LDN Level 5 Digital Learning Design Apprenticeship

There’s a new arrival in town – LDN Apprenticeships has introduced the Level 5 Digital Learning Designer apprenticeship!

You may have noticed LDN Digital Learning Designer Apprentices springing up across the country over the last 10 months, blending off-the-job study with their work projects.

During the first fifteen months, apprentices learn what on earth we all get up to. Introducing learning theories and methods, designing engaging learning experiences, dabbling in project management and sharpening creative skills with digital tools.

And if that isn’t enough fun, DLD Apprentices get to showcase their awesomeness with a portfolio of evidence and a final project during their end-point assessment (EPA); independently validated to ensure apprentices finish with a recognised qualification.

Each apprentice is supported by an expert Skills Coach who guides them along the way and helps them to develop the 40 (yes 40!) knowledge, skills and behaviours required to meet the iFATE DLD standard, which is endorsed by the Association of Learning Technologies ALT.

Let’s hear from some of the Digital Learning Designers!

Manisha: DLD Apprentice

Chelsea And Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Hello, my name is Manisha Sharma. I’m a 36-year-old mother of two little daughters, ages eight and three.

As part of a new position in my company, I enrolled with LDN Apprenticeships in March 2024 for the Level 5 Digital Learning Designer Apprenticeship. This is among the best choices I made in 2024.

The best part of being an apprentice is that I get to work while learning and gaining practical experience in my current projects.

My team at work is supportive as well. We use Slack at LDN which allows me to connect with my peers and get extra support when I’m stuck. I’m really excited and looking forward to completing my apprenticeship.

I’m able to demonstrate the new soft skills, techniques, and processes that I am acquiring, which feels empowering. I am currently using storyboard templates as a guide to get information from SMEs, giving my feedback and trying to help them visualize the look and feel of the e-learning package before actually creating it in an authoring tool. I believe we are both learning together.

Shannon: Lead Digital Designer LDN Apprenticeships

I’m Shannon Robinson, the Lead Digital Learning Designer at LDN Apprenticeships.

As we were the first training provider in the country to start delivering the level 5 DLD programme, I had the exciting opportunity to work on the build for our apprentices, which was a particularly special experience as a DLD myself!

These courses were such fun to build, weaving interactive elements (e.g. videos, flip cards, interactive activities and more) into expertly SME-developed core learning content. As the first formal pathway into the Digital Learning Design profession, I’m proud we have built a programme that I can say firsthand would have been immensely valuable to me when I made a career transition from teaching into this industry.

Seeing our apprentices embark on this journey and apply what they’re learning in our programme to influence change, improve processes and create engaging and accessible learning content for businesses across the UK is certainly a highlight for me.

As we all know, things can change very quickly in digital learning with new developments being made every day – sometimes it can be hard to keep up!

With the launch of this programme, we have made our learning content interactive in ways that weren’t even possible just a few short years ago.

To find out more about how to join this incredible programme or to hire or upskill employees in your business via the Digital Learning Designer apprenticeship, visit LDN Apprenticeships. www.ldnapprenticeships.com/programme-l5-dld