Aptem
Founded 2009 Β· 121 employees on LinkedIn Β· 1 known investors
Aptem provides an end-to-end SaaS platform used by UK training providers, universities, colleges, employers and NHS Trusts to manage and deliver apprenticeships, skills training and employability programmes, covering digital enrolment through to compliance and ILR submission. The platform includes AI-powered tools for admin reduction and learner progress monitoring, and serves over 130,000 learners across the UK.
Also known as APTEM LTD Β· MWS Technology Β· MyWorkSearch
Investors Β· 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Aptem is a UK software company whose platform supports the management and delivery of apprenticeships, adult skills and employability programmes. Its flagship product, Aptem Apprentice, is a configurable learner management system covering the full delivery lifecycle: remote eligibility checking and compliant online enrolment with e-signatures, onboarding wizards, recognition of prior learning, skills scans (Skills Radar), personalised learning journeys, SCORM content delivery, knowledge-skills-behaviours mapping, real-time progress reporting, funding management and Individualised Learner Record (ILR) submission to support ESFA, Ofsted and GDPR compliance requirements.
Alongside the apprenticeship product, Aptem offers Aptem Employ for employability and jobseeker case management, Aptem Enhance, and Aptem Assess, a cognitive assessment tool that is also sold standalone. The platform provides business intelligence dashboards including built-in Power BI reporting and OData access, open APIs for integration with third-party systems such as Salesforce, SITS and Tribal ebs, single sign-on, and integrations with bksb, Cognassist, epaPRO, Skills Forward, Century and Microsoft Teams. Built-in AI features include automated review summarisation and learner progress monitoring, positioned to reduce administrative workload for tutors and delivery teams.
The company states it was founded in 2009, employs over 100 people, supports nearly 200 customers and more than 130,000 learners, and holds ISO 9001, ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications.
Founding story
Aptem states it was founded in 2009 to develop vocational training technology enabling people to learn and improve their lives. Founder and Executive Chairman Richard Alberg previously founded Psychometric Services Ltd, an online recruitment and assessment pioneer later purchased by Kenexa and subsequently acquired by IBM, and co-founded the apprenticeship training provider Corndel.
Business model
Aptem sells subscription software (SaaS) to organisations delivering regulated skills, apprenticeship and employability programmes. Implementation is delivered by dedicated Implementation Consultants under a 'train the trainer' model, with customer success and support teams handling the post-implementation relationship; onsite support is available at extra cost. Its public sector G-Cloud 14 listing prices Aptem Apprentice at Β£4.35 to Β£6.50 per user per month.
Per-user subscription pricing for platform access, quoted on the UK Digital Marketplace at Β£4.35βΒ£6.50 per user per month for Aptem Apprentice, with additional chargeable services such as onsite support.
Traction
Over 130,000 learners use Aptem products, with the company also citing nearly 200 customers, over 120,000 users and more than 100 employees. Lifetime Training, described as the UK's largest independent training provider, uses Aptem for 17,000 learners and reported a 16% increase in achievement rate after switching. London South Bank University estimates annual administration savings of Β£150,000βΒ£200,000. Aptem Employ is stated to reduce time to get jobseekers back into work by 50%.
Latest developments
Rien Sach, who joined as Chief Technology Officer in 2022, became Chief Executive in 2025. The company reports widespread adoption of AI and language technology across its customer base in 2025, won Gold for Learning Technologies Organisation of the Year at the Learning Technologies Awards 2025, and won Ed Tech and Content Provider of the Year 2026 at the EducationInvestor Awards.
βΈFull profile β market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Aptem describes itself as a market-leading end-to-end apprenticeship platform in the UK, stating that over 60% of UK universities with an established apprenticeship provision use its software and that it serves nearly 200 customers. It cites Department for Education data for 2020-2024 showing a 15.4% increase in learner achievement rate among its customers over three years versus 1.6% for the rest of the market.
Positioned around a single configurable system covering enrolment through to compliance and ILR submission rather than multiple point solutions, with configurability to match provider processes, built-in AI for administrative reduction, a standalone cognitive assessment product, and sector-specialist implementation and support staff.
Technology
Public-cloud SaaS learner management platform accessible across devices, with configurable onboarding and learning journeys, SCORM content delivery, e-signature enrolment, ILR and funding management tooling, Power BI dashboards and OData data access, open APIs, single sign-on, and named integrations (bksb, Cognassist, epaPRO, Skills Forward, Century, Microsoft Teams). AI and language technology features include automated review summarisation and learner progress monitoring; the first AI feature launched in 2022. Support and ticketing meet WCAG 2.1 AA / EN 301 549 accessibility standards.
Go-to-market
Direct enterprise sales through a business development team focused on the skills and employability sector, supported by demo requests, published customer case studies, industry awards, and a customer community of forums and roundtables. Public sector buyers can procure the platform through the UK government's G-Cloud 14 framework on the Digital Marketplace.
Mid-sized to large independent training providers, universities, colleges, employer providers, NHS Trusts and employability providers in the UK. Named customers include Corndel, Lifetime Training, Learning Curve Group, Hawk Training, tend (Impact Futures Group), B-Skill, YMCA, North Lancs Training Group, Pareto, Barnsley College, Bradford College, London South Bank University, Leeds Trinity University, Middlesex University London and the University of Nottingham.
Geography
United Kingdom-focused, with customers including training providers, universities, colleges, employer providers and NHS Trusts across the country. Support is provided in UK time, and the company's contact number is a London landline.
History
The business began as MyWorkSearch, formed to provide a scalable technology response to unemployment following the 2008 financial crash, and by 2015 was among the largest SaaS employability programme delivery providers. In 2016 it pivoted its technology into apprenticeships and rebranded as MWS Technology. The Aptem product launched in 2017 with first client Corndel, expanding to colleges, universities and training providers. In 2020, MyWorkSearch was relaunched as Aptem Employ and secured large government contracts. By 2022 the company reported nearly 200 customers and 100,000 users and launched its first AI feature. In 2025 it reported widespread AI adoption across its customer base and was named Learning Technologies Organisation of the Year.
Compiled by commissioned research from 5 cited public sources β announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed β not independently audited.
Timeline Β· 12
launches, deals, and filingsWon Ed Tech and Content Provider of the Year 2026 at the EducationInvestor Awards.
Awarded Gold for 'Learning Technologies Organisation of the Year' at the Learning Technologies Awards 2025.
Rien Sach, who joined Aptem as Chief Technology Officer in 2022, became Chief Executive in 2025.
Selected as a finalist in the EdTech category at the UK Business Tech Awards 2022.
Aptem launched its first AI feature while serving nearly 200 customers and 100,000 users.
Named SME of the Year at the British Data Awards 2021 for SaaS innovation in skills and employability.
Following Covid, MyWorkSearch was relaunched as Aptem Employ and the company secured large government contracts.
The Aptem platform launched with Corndel as its first client, later expanding to colleges, universities and training providers.
As unemployment declined, the company pivoted its technology into apprenticeships and rebranded as MWS Technology.
Aptem, then trading as MWS Technology, was included in the Telegraph European Start-Up 100 list of the top 100 most promising technology companies across Europe.
Aptem, then trading as MWS Technology, was awarded Silver at the IT Training Awards 2011.
MyWorkSearch was formed to provide a scalable technology solution addressing unemployment following the 2008 financial crash.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
βΈResearch sources Β· 5
primary sources listed
- Aptemaptem.co.uk Β· web
5 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Aptem do?
- Aptem is a UK SaaS platform for end-to-end management and delivery of apprenticeships, skills and employability programmes.
- Who are Aptem's investors?
- Aptem's investors include Guinness Ventures.