Blackpool in major government pilot scheme helping young people find jobs backed by JD Sports and BAE Systems

Blackpool is set to play a leading role in a new government-backed initiative aimed at helping young people at risk of falling out of education, employment or training.

The AI Native Youth programme, announced during London Tech Week by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), will launch a pilot in Blackpool this summer. The scheme is designed to prevent young people from becoming NEET by creating a clear pathway into employment through digital apprenticeships.

Led by technology training provider IN4 Group, the pilot will initially support 60 young people aged 16 who are considered at risk of becoming NEET, with a particular focus on care leavers, who face a higher risk of disengagement. There is also a commitment to expand the programme to support 1,000 young people over the next year.

‘We have to disrupt the system’

Mo Isap OBE, CEO of IN4 Group, said: “You can’t fix a million young people at risk of becoming NEET by tinkering around the edges. We have to disrupt the system.

“AI Native Youth gives young people a clear, paid pathway from school into high‑value digital apprenticeships, starting in Year 10 and carrying them through to their first proper role. We are turning a group that is often seen as a problem into a generation we put on a pedestal.

“We’ve spent years building the MEGA Hubs, the school relationships, the local authorities and employer partnerships across Blackpool. Now, with backing from DSIT and support from our regional partners, we can prove the model this summer and then scale it nationally so that 1,000 young people don’t just avoid becoming NEET, they become the AI‑native talent our economy needs.”

Ai apprenticeships

The initiative builds on IN4 Group’s existing MEGA Hubs network, which operates in more than 250 schools across the North West and has delivered STEM education and scholarships to more than 14,000 students.

Blackpool is one of five local authority areas taking part in the pilot, alongside Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, Oldham and Wigan. Supported by employers including JD Sports, BAE Systems, PA Consulting and Agilisys, at least 10 young people from each area will begin £18,000 AI apprenticeships in September.

Through a two-year AI-focused curriculum delivered from Years 10 and 11, participants will develop digital skills before progressing into Level 3 apprenticeships, helping tackle rising NEET numbers while creating a pipeline of AI-ready talent for employers across the North West.

‘High-quality AI jobs’

AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said: “We are ensuring young people get the support and backing they need to realise their full potential and build rewarding careers in technology and AI.

“By partnering with IN4 Group to deliver this first-of-its-kind AI apprenticeship programme in the North West, we are opening up, high-quality AI job opportunities for young people who are most at risk of leaving education and facing unemployment.

“We'll work together to help more young people take their first steps into lasting careers in technology, right from within their own communities.”