AI Bootcamp Launched in North West to Tackle Youth Unemployment

Young people out of work or at risk of unemployment after leaving school are set to benefit from a first-of-its-kind AI summer bootcamp launching in the North West this week. The government’s new TechFirst AI Apprenticeship Pathway brings together government, industry and public sector organisations to give young people three weeks of AI and workplace skills training, while creating potential routes into employment.

Young recruits from communities including Wigan, Blackburn, Blackpool and towns across the North West have now started their training. Delivered by IN4 Group, the scheme is working with businesses and public sector organisations across the region to create local career opportunities and test how AI training and career development can best support young people. The initiative has been designed to help prevent young people from falling into unemployment by giving them practical skills in one of the fastest-growing areas of the economy.

During the three-week programme, up to 70 young people aged 16 to 21 will learn how to build AI tools and understand how businesses are using the technology. Participants will also learn how AI can be used to generate draft guides and documentation, while developing an understanding of responsible AI use, human oversight and quality control.

Alongside technical training, recruits will develop workplace skills including using office tools and systems, professional communication, teamwork, timekeeping, organisation, problem-solving and working under pressure.

At the end of the programme, businesses and public sector organisations across the North West, including JD Sports, Heinz and local SMEs, will have apprenticeships on offer to help participants move into employment.

The pilot forms part of the Prime Minister’s wider reforms to ensure every young person has a clear route into skilled work. It also follows commitments from National Grid announced last week to help 5,000 young people into work through its £5m-a-year Power Within Employability Fund.

Tackling the youth unemployment crisis head on
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy said: “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. 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.”

AI Minister Kaniskha Narayan said: “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. 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.”

The pilot will be used to test best practice, with its results informing an England-wide AI skills and early careers scheme due to roll out next summer. The programme builds on the £200m TechFirst skills programme, which, since its announcement in summer 2025, has reached more than 100,000 young people, supported 500 domestic PhD students with financial support for critical technology research and is preparing to roll out into schools from September.

A genuine route into high-value careers
Mo Isap OBE, CEO of IN4 Group, said: “Too many young people are leaving school without a clear route into the opportunities AI is creating. 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. We’ve spent years building trusted partnerships with schools, local authorities and employers across the North West through our MEGA Hubs, and with the support of Government we now have the opportunity to demonstrate what’s possible. We have created a model that gives more young people a genuine route into high-value careers where AI skills are increasingly essential, while helping employers develop the talent they need for the future.”