Professional technology training and skills provider IN4 Group has secured the contract to deliver TechFirst on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) in the East Midlands, resulting in significant investment into the technology careers of thousands of local students.
As the East Midlands regional delivery partner, IN4 Group will lead the new TechFirst programme, part of the £187 million government-funded initiative that brings digital skills and AI learning into classrooms and communities, and trains people of all ages and backgrounds for the tech careers of the future. Delivered through IN4’s MEGA (Motivated, Educated, Generation with Ambition) Hubs and a series of events and outreach days, the programme will engage around 45,000 secondary school students from 390 schools across the region over the next three years, with access to a technology-enriched super curriculum and an AI Academy. It will work in collaboration with The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) alongside leading industry partners, including CGI, QinetiQ, PA Consulting, Energus, Roke, BT, KPMG UK and Northrop Grumman.
IN4 plans to establish MEGA Hubs across the East Midlands in a phased rollout to extend the impact of TechFirst and ensure that a diverse range of young people from all communities have access to the programme. The programme comes at a time when the East Midlands faces significant digital skills challenges. The East Midlands Combined County Authority has identified digital skills shortages across the region, with 21% of residents lacking basic digital literacy. This highlights the importance of creating stronger pathways into technology careers and ensuring young people are equipped with the skills needed for the future economy. MEGA is designed to unlock the potential of talented young people who may be at risk of underachieving due to disadvantage, neurodiversity or limited access to professional networks. It connects young people with hands-on digital skills training, mentoring, and pathways into apprenticeships, further education, and technology careers.
Through large-scale MEGA events across the region, students will take part in immersive, challenge-led experiences covering AI, cyber security, robotics, data and digital creativity. Women currently make up just 22% of the UK’s cyber security workforce, so a major objective is to inspire girls, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to consider STEM careers. IN4 is looking to bring this experience and work closely with a range of expert stakeholders in the East Midlands to help shape the TechFirst offering to local students. This builds on IN4’s successful delivery of CyberFirst in the West Midlands and the North West, a programme backed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ, to encourage a more diverse range of young people to pursue careers in the digital sector.
Lauren Monks, Director of CyberFirst and MEGA Hubs at IN4 Group, said: “TechFirst is about helping more young people see a future for themselves in technology. Through our MEGA Hubs model, around 45,000 students across the East Midlands will have the opportunity to develop AI and data skills, connect with employers and explore different career paths. We have seen the impact this approach can have through our work in the West Midlands and North West, particularly for young people who may not otherwise consider a career in the sector. As the first generation of AI-native young people comes through our schools, we have a real opportunity to nurture their talent, broaden their horizons and help them access the opportunities available across the East Midlands.”
Minister for the Digital Economy Liz Lloyd said: “Too many young people don’t picture themselves in a future career in tech – not because they lack the talent – but because they don’t realise it’s a realistic and rewarding option. That’s what our landmark TechFirst programme is here to change. I’m pleased to welcome IN4 Group as our regional delivery partner working to help us bring that ambition to life for young people right across the UK. Together, we’re making sure that the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers and tech leaders can come from anywhere — and that the East Midlands is ready to play their part in powering the UK’s future growth.”
