Partner Article

North East finance firm saves staff up to a day a week through AI apprenticeship

Heron Financial has put 11 employees through an AI apprenticeship with North East training provider We Are Zenith, with some staff reporting time savings of up to a full working day each week.

The cohort, which spans the business from case administration to board level, is completing the Level 3 Digital Support Technician apprenticeship on the AI pathway. The programme was funded through a levy transfer, arranged with support from We Are Zenith's business development team.

Most of the apprentices began with limited experience of AI, typically using free tools for occasional tasks such as writing emails. As they near the end of the programme, they are using AI to automate admin, analyse business data and prepare for client meetings.

Heron's Mortgage Operations Manager now uses AI linked to the company's CRM to find and calculate data that he previously reviewed by hand, saving an estimated three to four hours a week. He also uses it daily to analyse team performance data and encourages colleagues to do the same.

The firm's Internal Operations Co-ordinator has automated much of her recurring admin, including update emails, and estimates the change has saved around a day's work every week.

She said: "I have found the apprenticeship extremely useful, and it has transformed the way I think about tasks, and how they are carried out, making me more efficient and able to focus on higher value work."

Elsewhere in the business, the case progression team now uses AI to summarise lengthy email chains and generate a daily overview of tasks and case tracking, which the team uses to allocate work. A Protection Adviser uses AI to prepare for client meetings and has gone on to build his own apps using ChatGPT and Claude Code.

All four apprentices surveyed said they would recommend the programme, with one highlighting the importance of learning to use AI safely at work.

They said: "People can learn to use AI themselves, but they need to be taught how to use it safely, especially in a workplace environment."

Balancing coursework with day-to-day roles was the most commonly cited challenge. Apprentices said the programme was adapted in response to their feedback, including simplifying workbooks and making individual adjustments early on.

About We Are Zenith

We Are Zenith is a North East recruitment, apprenticeship and workforce development organisation, helping businesses to recruit, develop and retain talent. 

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by We Are Zenith .