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The AI bootcamps aimed at addressing UK youth unemployment
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- DeepHorus
In a youth centre opposite Preston bus station, the UK government is testing whether artificial intelligence can help solve the country's youth unemployment crisis. The pilot AI bootcamp at the Vault community hub in Lancashire is part of a north-west trial offering 16- to 24-year-olds AI training. The three-week programme is designed for young people classified as Neet — not in education, employment or training — or at risk of joining that group.
Nearly one million young people in the UK are Neet, representing just over one in ten of that age group. Youth unemployment has become a major economic challenge, and the rapid advance of AI has added a new layer of uncertainty. The government hopes the technology will become a solution rather than another threat to jobs.
The taxpayer-funded scheme is open to 70 participants. Attendees learn how to build AI tools, understand how businesses use AI, and use the technology responsibly. In one session, a tutor guided five students through a task emphasising the importance of glitch-free data in AI models.
Several companies are supporting the initiative, including retailer JD Sports, food giant Heinz, and IT firm Agilysys. They are offering AI-related apprenticeships at the end of the course. This direct link to employment is central to the pilot's approach.
Khudeija Rafique, an 18-year-old from Burnley attending the course, said the training "would be really helpful with whatever job I would like to go into." Another participant, Remy Simms, said the course had "changed my opinion" on AI and expressed interest in applying for the content creator apprenticeship.
The bootcamp reflects a broader effort to prepare young people for an AI-driven economy. By combining skills training with apprenticeship opportunities, the pilot aims to give Neets a practical route into work. If successful, the model could be expanded to other parts of the UK.
