Give your frontline managers the problem-solving skills and improvement toolkit to drive measurable, lasting change — built around real Lean tools and real operations.
via apprenticeship levy
month programme
live workshops
The Operational Excellence for Managers apprenticeship is a 14-month, fully funded programme for team leaders, supervisors, and frontline managers who want to get better at solving operational problems, not just putting out fires.
Across 8 workshops, learners pick up practical tools from Lean and Six Sigma (think process mapping, root cause analysis, and data-driven decision-making) and apply them to real challenges in their own workplace. Delivery is flexible, with organisations able to choose between fully remote, blended, or face-to-face, depending on what works for their team.
There’s no cost to eligible employers, and at the end of it, learners come away with a recognised Level 3 Improvement Technician qualification, plus a management certificate included within the programme at no extra charge.
This programme has been deliberately designed for managers across any sector, combining Lean and Six Sigma tools with real leadership and management development. Built around practical problem-solving, not technical jargon.
A wraparound management qualification covering self-awareness, leading people, managing performance, and driving results, funded within the programme at no extra cost.
Map workflows using SIPOC and Lean tools to expose waste and redesign how work gets done
Diagnose recurring problems with structured techniques including Pareto, histograms, and fishbone analysis
Collect, analyse, and interpret operational data to identify trends and justify improvement actions
Guide your team through operational change using coaching, communication, and structured planning
Apply Six Sigma and ISO-aligned frameworks to keep improvement work consistent and auditable
Apply Plan-Do-Check-Act and experimentation techniques to find solutions that actually hold
Build self-awareness, accountability, and effective communication skills
Form effective teams, handle conflict, and lead through change
Apply Six Sigma principles and structured methodologies to drive improvement
Plan, prioritise, and manage people, budget, and time effectively
Map processes, eliminate waste, and sustain change with Lean tools
Collect and analyse operational data to identify patterns and drive improvement
Apply root cause analysis and Plan Do Check Act approach to solve problems
Lead change, manage risk, and contribute to project planning
Speak to our team — no obligation, just a conversation.
The programme runs across 8 workshops over 14 months, followed by end-point assessment.
The programme is fully funded for apprenticeship levy payers, meaning there is no direct cost to eligible employers. If your organisation does not pay the apprenticeship levy, you can still access significant funding for this programme. Speak to our team to check your organisation’s eligibility.
Learners achieve a qualification equivalent to a Level 3 Improvement Technician standard, recognised across the UK as a professional operational improvement credential.
This programme suits managers, team leaders, and operational professionals who are involved in improvement activity in their organisation.
Learners need to be in employment, and their employer needs to be eligible to access apprenticeship funding, which covers most organisations with a payroll over £3m, and many smaller ones too. Not sure if that’s you? Just give us a call and we will check in minutes.
Core 360: Building Management Excellence is a series of masterclasses woven into the programme to develop the broader management behaviours. It is covering strategic planning, resource management, project delivery, and leading change. This is funded within the programme at no extra cost.
Whether you want to pick up the phone and speak to us, or drop us an email, we’ll let you decide.
Learnmore Network, The Lantern, 75 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2PL
