ANS Academy, which is part of Manchester-headquartered digital transformation company ANS, has become the first apprenticeship provider to be awarded a ‘strong standard’ across all categories under the new Ofsted assessment framework.

The recognition underscores the industry-leading quality of the provider and its role in developing future technology talent, as demand for digital skills continues to rise across the UK.

The Ofsted report highlights the Academy’s excellent performance across inclusion, leadership and governance, achievement, curriculum and teaching, and participation and development.

Inspectors also praised ANS’s ‘Academy-as-a-Service’ offering, which provides the same high-calibre apprenticeship training to other employers, including ANS’s partners and customers.

Launched in 2024, it supports organisations in developing skills across Infrastructure, cyber, DevOps, and AI, building a diverse pipeline of technical talent across the wider technology ecosystem.

Richard Thompson, CEO of ANS, said: “As the first apprenticeship provider to achieve such consistently strong results under the new framework, the Academy’s continued success is a real testament to our focus on developing the next generation of technology talent.”