Up to 70 youngsters in the North West are starting the UK’s first AI bootcamp under the Government’s TechFirst scheme, with ministers saying it will “tackle the unemployment crisis head on”
Britain’s teenagers are being thrown onto the frontline of the AI revolution to help them get ahead and stop bots taking their jobs.
Up to 70 out-of-work youngsters aged 16 to 21 across the North West are being drafted into the UK’s first-ever emergency “AI bootcamp” in a bid to future-proof their lives against the rise of algorithms.
The intense three-week summer scheme, launched under a Government initiative called the TechFirst AI Apprenticeship Pathway, has officially kicked off.
Backed by Whitehall top brass at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, ministers are trying to “stem the tide” of youth unemployment before AI takes many entry-level jobs.
Young recruits from Wigan, Blackburn, and Blackpool have been selected to learn how to tame AI. “Young people in every postcode deserve the opportunity to a great start to their adult life, and we are tackling the youth unemployment crisis head on,” Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy said in an official statement released today (August 14).
She added: “This first of its kind AI bootcamp will support young people at a crucial juncture in their lives, connecting them with great training and career opportunities at the heart of their local communities.”
The bootcamps, run by tech firm IN4 Group, will drill teens in how to build AI tools, control hyper-smart software, and stop rogue algorithms from going haywire through strict human oversight and quality control.
On top of mastering the machines, recruits will be put through high-pressure training to survive the modern office, learning how to cope under extreme pressure and problem-solve on the fly, master professional communication and teamwork, and manage strict timekeeping. Brands including JD Sports, Heinz, and local firms are waiting at the end of the course to snap up them up for apprenticeships.
“AI is already transforming the world of work, from time-saving tools that cut out admin through to high-end tech that’s boosting vital fields like medical research,” AI Minister Kaniskha Narayan said. “This is a huge opportunity that will directly benefit young people across the country.
“This new scheme is about giving them the skills they need to thrive in the AI workplace, and build careers in some of our most exciting industries.” IN4 Group supremo Mo Isap OBE warned that millions of teenagers are leaving school defenseless against the AI juggernaut.
“If we’re serious about tackling youth unemployment, we have to rethink how young people move from education into work by creating pathways that connect talent with paid careers,” he declared.
School-leavers spoke of their relief at joining the digital resistance. Ella, 16, from Wigan, blasted her old school for failing to prepare kids for the tech takeover: “It’s like a standard expectation that every student goes to college, even if it doesn’t suit their way of learning.”
Fellow recruit Ethan, 15, added: “Technology is constantly evolving – it’s the future and I want to keep developing my skills… I feel very lucky to be one of the first in the country to ever do this.”
Whitehall bosses say this North West trial is just the beginning, with plans to roll out the scheme across the nation next summer.
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