The Prime Minister today announced a new skills program that would equip students nationwide with the knowledge and resources they need to land the AI-powered occupations of the future.
A new 187 million pounds government "TechFirst" program is at the center of the skills push and is part of the impending contemporary Industrial Strategy.
Its goal is to equip individuals of all ages and backgrounds for the tech occupations of the future by bringing digital skills and AI learning into classrooms and communities.
The initiatives made today demonstrate that this government is committed to removing obstacles to opportunity and investing in the futures of young people throughout Britain, regardless of where they were raised.
According to research commissioned by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), around 10 million individuals will have tasks or responsibilities that involve AI in some capacity by 2035, with an additional 3.9 million working directly in AI.
Supported by 24 million pounds in government funding, the program's flagship strand, "TechYouth," will provide 1 million students in all UK secondary schools with the opportunity to learn about technology and acquire new skills, training, and employment prospects over the course of three years.
Building on CyberFirst's Explorers, which has 100,000 registered students and access to the majority of secondary schools in the UK, there will also be an online platform to inform and inspire kids about the possibilities of jobs in computing and technology. This will combine training opportunities and educational resources in a convenient, easily accessible area.
To manage the program and provide activities to nearby schools and institutions, DSIT will choose a local delivery partner in each of the UK's regions and countries.
By 2035, the AI industry alone is expected to have grown from its current valuation of 72.3 billion pounds to over 800 billion pounds. With more than 3,700 businesses and nearly 64,000 employees, it is expanding 30 times faster than the overall economy.
However, in spite of these advantages, one of the largest obstacles to expansion in the UK is still access to AI capabilities, particularly for startups, scaleups, and areas outside of London.
To put more money in people's pockets and remove obstacles to opportunity, the government is supporting youth and investing in skills as a driver of economic growth as part of the Plan for Change.
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By enabling local communities to build the skills people need and placing employers at the center of our skills system, this package not only supports the next industrial strategy but also fulfills the government's manifesto goal to provide higher-quality training and employment paths.