A new AI summer bootcamp has commenced in the North West this week, designed to help young people who are currently out of work or at risk of unemployment after leaving school. This initiative, described as a first of its kind, brings together government and industry to offer three weeks of AI and workplace skills training.
The programme, delivered by IN4 Group, will see up to 70 young people aged 16 to 21 from communities across the North West, including Wigan, Blackburn, and Blackpool, receive training. Participants will learn to build AI tools, understand business applications of AI, and develop key workplace skills such as professional communication and problem-solving.
Upon completion of the scheme, businesses and public sector organisations in the North West, including JD Sports and Heinz, along with local SMEs, are set to offer apprenticeships to help participants move into employment. The pilot's results will inform a planned England-wide AI skills and early careers scheme, scheduled to roll out next summer.