Pupils across the country will be given the skills and tools needed to get the AI-powered jobs of the future thanks to a new skills programme launched by the Prime Minister (Monday 9 June).
At the heart of the skills drive, and as part of the upcoming modern Industrial Strategy, is a new £187 million UK government “TechFirst” programme to bring digital skills and AI learning into classrooms and communities and train up people of all ages and backgrounds for the tech careers of the future.
It comes as research commissioned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) shows that by 2035, around 10 million workers will be in roles where AI will be part of their role or responsibilities in some form, with a further 3.9 million in roles directly in AI.
The flagship strand of this programme “TechYouth” – backed by £24 million of government funding - will give 1 million students over three years across every secondary school in the UK the chance to learn about technology and gain access to new skills training and career opportunities.
There will also be an online platform to inspire and educate students about the potential of computing and tech careers which has access to most secondary schools in the UK with 100,000 students registered already.
In each of the UK’s regions and nations, a local delivery partner will be selected by DSIT to run the programme and deliver activities to schools and colleges in local areas.
The AI sector alone is valued at £72.3 billion and is projected to exceed £800 billion by 2035. It is growing 30 times faster than the rest of the economy, employing over 64,000 people across more than 3,700 companies.
For further information please select the following link: PM launches national skills drive to unlock opportunities for young people in tech - GOV.UK.
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