Young people entering the job market will be better supported into their first roles thanks to a new partnership between government, industry and trade unions to look at how AI is impacting entry level roles.

The Early Careers Jobs Alliance will bring together government, employers, trade unions and young people, co-chaired by Prospect’s General Secretary Mike Clancy and the government’s AI Champion for the Digital and Technologies sector, Katie Gallagher OBE. With the aim of supporting people to get into the workplace, learn on the job and build enriching careers.

Backed by £20 million, it will map how entry-level work is changing, producing practical help for businesses on how to redesign roles while maintaining entry-level pathways, and identifying early examples of good practice.

This will start in the Digital and Technologies sector, due to its high exposure and uptake of AI in digital and tech businesses, with plans for this to then roll out across all 8 Industrial Strategy sectors.

The alliance will publish an initial report this autumn, setting out early evidence and examples of best practice to inform future work.

Announced by the Technology Secretary Liz Kendall today, the plans are part of government efforts to break down barriers for young people, ensure growth and opportunity are felt all across the country, and that everyone can seize the opportunities of technology and AI.

Through TechFirst, the government’s nationwide tech skills programme, at least 400,000 students from some of the most disadvantaged schools will be supported to take up AI and tech skills in efforts to ensure opportunities are provided to those who need them the most.

They’ll take part in TechFirst’s skills sessions, school competitions and extra-curricular activities, and industry engagement events – to upskill and inspire them towards a future in tech and AI.

The package unveiled ahead of London Tech Week also includes plans to roll out an AI bootcamp scheme across England to provide young people who are at risk of becoming unemployed and out of education and training, a pathway to work.

This will kick off this summer with a pilot covering 5 local areas in Lancashire and Greater Manchester which will see young people at risk of leaving school after their GCSEs and entering unemployment, take part in a free AI skills bootcamp.

It will provide them with workplace and entry-level AI training before guaranteeing those who complete the bootcamp a fully paid AI apprenticeship – which will be facilitated by local employers like JD Sports, BAE Systems, PA Consulting, Agilisys, and Wigan, Blackpool, Oldham, Blackburn and Lancashire councils.

If successful, the learnings from the pilot will support the rollout of a nationwide AI bootcamp programme across England in the 2027 to 2028 academic year.

Alongside this, a separate pilot will launch in early 2027 around the North East’s AI Growth Zone.

Focused on young people who are already out of work and training, the programme will provide at least 6 months of work where participants will get hands-on job training in AI with leading tech juggernauts including Accenture, Microsoft and Sage. Delivered through government’s Jobs Guarantee, this will secure high-quality jobs in the North East AI Growth Zone and beyond.

These initiatives aim to turn the tide on declining opportunities for young people and ensure the economy works for people in every part of the country. They will help drive forward the government’s plans to ensure nobody is left behind as more businesses adopt AI and provide young people with the invaluable skills they need in modern Britain as we seize the opportunities of AI across the economy.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall said:

My priority is building an AI future that is pro-business and pro-worker, where AI enhances work, and people are supported through the jobs transition – not left to cope on their own.

It’s clear the world of work is changing rapidly with the adoption of new technologies, and young people want a future where they can get on, get skilled, and get good jobs.

I’m determined to give young people the jobs and skills they need to thrive in an era of technological change, and am taking action now to create a future that truly works for all.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden said:

Young people deserve every opportunity to build a meaningful career, and that means making sure no one is left behind as our economy changes and technology advances.

For too long, too many young people have faced a future with too few opportunities, which is why through our Youth Guarantee we are ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn.

By equipping these young people with tech and AI skills, we are making sure that the opportunities created by this technological revolution are open to everyone.

This package will be laid out in the Technology Secretary’s speech at the world’s first AI Adoption Summit on Monday 8 June, where leaders from across the economy, will come together to put the country to work harnessing AI’s vast potential.

This comes alongside an £820 million investment in the Youth Guarantee to support almost one million young people – which will create 350,000 new training and workplaces, 55,000 guaranteed jobs for the long-term unemployed, over 360 youth hubs across Great Britain. As well as government also launching a major investigation spearheaded by Alan Milburn to investigate the barriers preventing the young from accessing work.

Prospect General Secretary Mike Clancy said:

We have a short window of opportunity to shape the AI revolution so that it enhances and supports jobs, rather than destroying and undermining them, and it is right that government are bringing employers and unions together to think through these issues.

Some of the most exposed roles in the economy are held by young workers, and it is vital that we do not cut off pathways to career progression and learning in the relentless search for efficiency.

We have a duty to the next generation of workers to get this right, and we look forward to contributing to this important piece of work.

Katie Gallagher OBE, Managing Director of Manchester Digital and AI Champion for the Digital and Technologies Sector said:

As AI reshapes entry-level work, we have a chance to lead by example and create better pathways for young people. That is why I want to establish an industry-led Early Careers Jobs Alliance to shape a positive future for entry-level roles in the Digital and Technologies sector.

Matt Prebble, Head of Accenture in the UK & Ireland, said:

Too many young people across the UK are not currently in education or employment, often facing multiple barriers to getting into the labour market. At the same time, businesses need people with the skills to work in an increasingly digital and AI-driven economy. In the North East, we’re working with partners across the technology ecosystem on an initiative that brings together digital and AI skills with practical, real-world experience, helping more young people access opportunities and develop the work-ready skills needed for today and the future.

Darren Hardman, CEO, Microsoft UK and Ireland said:

I believe programmes like this are crucial to ensuring the AI economy creates more opportunities for more young people, in every corner of the country. By combining practical experience with AI skills training, we can develop real pathways into high-quality careers, build a stronger talent pipeline, and drive greater social mobility for young people in the North East. We’re proud to support that effort alongside Accenture and Sage, and excited about the long-term impact this kind of collaboration can have.

Steve Hare, CEO at Sage, said:

AI is creating some of the most exciting career opportunities in a generation and we need to ensure that young people from every background can access them. Through the AI Growth Zone, Sage is working with industry partners and government to open the door to skilled AI careers for young people in the North East who don’t yet have a clear route into employment. This is how we turn the promise of AI into real, inclusive economic growth, starting in Sage’s home region.

Mo Isap OBE, CEO of IN4 Group, said:

It’s time to turn the tables. Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, at risk of falling out of the system at 16, should be placed on a pedestal and not be seen as a problem. AI and new technologies are a leveller. These are young people with native digital and AI literacy who can be superheroes in the workplace, a workplace with an acute need for AI skills. With AI Native Youth, we have created a clear and direct pathway for this: a route, with support and visibility that simply doesn’t exist for many young people, which is why we have so many who are NEET. I am on a mission to bring a systemic solution to this challenge, working in partnership with DSIT and our regional partners. This is a moment in time where a challenge becomes a huge opportunity.

Notes

North West Pilot

The pilot will be run by a delivery partner, IN4 Group, and will reach young people across Wigan, Blackpool, Oldham, Blackburn and Lancashire. The employers backing the pilot will offer paid Level 3 apprenticeships to young people who successfully complete the bootcamp.

North East Pilot

Sage, Accenture and Microsoft will deliver on-the-job training through work placements for young people age 18 to 24 not currently in education or employment. This pilot will operate in the North East of England, connected to the North East AI Growth Zone.

TechFirst and AI Skills Boost

London Tech Week marks one year on from launching government’s TechFirst and AI Skills Boost programmes. As both programmes continue to power ahead, AI Skills Boost welcomes new partners Adobe, Chartered Management Institute (CMI), Digital Boost, Enterprise Nation, HP, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), Make UK and Pearson, onboard today. They will support AI upskilling across even more industries including creative and manufacturing.

This comes as the AI Skills Boost programme confirms 1.7 million AI upskilling course have now been completed, as the programme continues to strive towards upskilling 10 million UK workers with key AI skills by 2030.

TechFirst has now confirmed the first 5 of 12 delivery partners to run the youth engagement programme in regions across the country:

• West Midlands: WM5G and Digital Innovators
• East Midlands: IN4 Group
• East of England: Tech Educators
• South East: STEM Learning
• London: STEM Learning

Industrial Strategy sectors

The 8 Industrial Strategy sectors are:

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Clean Energy Industries
• Creative Industries
• Defence
• Digital and Technologies
• Financial Services
• Life Sciences
• Professional and Business Services

Sources:

400,000 young people across the most disadvantaged schools in the UK will get AI and tech training to help them into further education, training and employment after school

This figure comes from the collective agreement made with TechFirst delivery partners who have committed to reach a total of approximately 800,000 11 to 18 year olds by 2029. Within this commitment they have agreed a requirement to make sure that at least 400,000 of these young people are from the most disadvantaged schools in each region. Note the remaining 200,000 to reach TechFirst’s 1 million target by 2029 is made up of activity already delivered and anticipated reach via future online activities and the girls competition over 3 years.