The UK’s AI Skills Push: A Welcome Step in the Right Direction

Today’s announcement from the UK Government signals something we’ve been championing for a long time: AI literacy is no longer optional - it’s essential.

On Monday 9 June 2025, the Prime Minister unveiled a comprehensive £187 million strategy called TechFirst, designed to integrate AI and digital literacy into every corner of the UK’s education and skills ecosystem. This is more than policy. It’s a signal — that AI isn’t coming to education and the workplace — it’s already here.

We wanted to take a moment to break down what’s happening, why it matters, and how this aligns with what we’re already doing at Techosaurus — and where we’re heading next.

A digitally illustrated juxtaposition of 10 Downing Street and a circuit board pattern.

The Big Announcement: AI Skills for a Changing World

Let’s start with the headlines:

  • 1 million students across UK secondary schools will receive new opportunities to learn about AI and digital technology through the TechYouth strand.
  • A £187 million national investment will bring hands-on AI learning and tech training into schools, communities, and regional organisations.
  • By 2030, the aim is to upskill 7.5 million workers with essential AI literacy — including how to use tools like chatbots, large language models, and other productivity enhancers.
  • Backed by global tech leaders like NVIDIA, Microsoft, IBM, Google, Intuit, and Amazon, the plan represents the most joined-up push for AI capability the UK has ever made.

And this isn’t just for young people. The programme includes funding for university research, scholarships, local innovation projects, and workforce upskilling — meaning everyone from students to solopreneurs to teachers and technicians stands to benefit.

Breaking It Down: What’s Actually Happening?

1. TechFirst: National Investment with Local Delivery

  • £187 million total investment
  • Local delivery partners in each UK region
  • Built on the model of the successful CyberFirst programme
  • Supported by major industry players offering free training resources

2. TechYouth: Schools-Focused Strand

  • £24 million over three years
  • 1 million students engaged with AI tools and career pathways
  • Integrated into the existing CyberFirst Explorers platform, now expanding reach

3. Workforce Upskilling: 7.5 Million by 2030

  • New government-industry partnership to provide free AI literacy resources
  • Sector-specific training across healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and beyond
  • Major companies contributing training content and delivery support

4. Talent Pipeline Programmes

  • TechGrad (£96.8m): Scholarships and MScs in AI, cyber, and computer science
  • TechExpert (£48.4m): Funding for PhD students working on cutting-edge tech
  • TechLocal (£18m): Seed funding for local tech startups and regional innovators

Put simply, this isn’t just a pilot — it’s a strategic transformation of the UK’s digital education and skills infrastructure, aimed squarely at the AI-powered economy of the next decade.

Why This Matters to Techosaurus

At Techosaurus, this news resonates deeply. In fact, it feels like the national version of what we’ve already been building on the ground here in the South West.

Here’s what we’ve been up to over the past year:

  • Generative AI Skills Bootcamps in partnership with Yeovil College, teaching real-world AI use to SMEs, educators, and local businesses. Find out more here
  • In-person CPD and training for schools, colleges, and councils — demystifying AI and showing practical use cases from lesson planning to safeguarding.
  • Public events like Digital Hub & Digital Somerset, where we bring local tech and non-tech communities together to explore tools, trends, and transformation.
  • 1-to-1 guidance for business owners, freelancers, and educators who want to get started with automation, prompting, and AI thinking.

Our approach is always hands-on, inclusive, and grounded in lived experience. We’re not just talking about what AI might do. We’re showing people what it already can do — and empowering them to use it.

So when we see a £187 million national plan rolling out that backs this approach? We’re excited. But more than that — we’re ready.

Our Response: What We’re Doing Next

This announcement energises us to go further, faster — and we’ll be looking closely at how we can get directly involved in the TechFirst rollout.

Here’s what’s on our radar right now:

Expanding Our Bootcamp

We’ve already trained dozens of learners through our AI Skills Bootcamp, and the feedback has been phenomenal. With national attention now on AI skills, we’re exploring how to scale this programme across more colleges and community partners.

Micro-Courses and CPD

Short, accessible sessions are one of the best ways to reach people who are busy, overwhelmed, or unsure where to begin. We’re actively developing bite-sized AI workshops for:

  • School leadership teams
  • Classroom teachers
  • HR and admin staff
  • Small business owners
  • Creative professionals

We’re also continuing our custom CPD delivery, already in place with several South West institutions, to give staff real confidence with AI.

Community-Based Sessions

Not everything needs to happen in a classroom. We’re developing local AI drop-ins, lunchtime demos, and parent-facing sessions to bring the conversation beyond education and into everyday life.

Advisory and Partnership Roles

With DSIT planning to appoint local delivery partners, we’re exploring ways Techosaurus can support — whether that’s as a regional trainer, content contributor, or community facilitator. If you’re an organisation involved in delivering TechFirst and want to collaborate, we’re open to conversations.

Final Thoughts: AI for Everyone, Not Just for Experts

One thing we always say at Techosaurus is this: you don’t need to be technical to benefit from AI. You just need to be curious, open, and willing to learn.

What’s exciting about the TechFirst strategy is that it echoes this sentiment. It’s not just for coders, researchers, or data scientists. It’s for:

  • A teacher who wants to reduce admin and plan better lessons
  • A teenager who wants to explore a future in gaming or robotics
  • A carer using AI to support wellbeing monitoring
  • A shop owner automating inventory and invoices
  • A college team using AI for communication, curriculum design, or scheduling

The future of AI in the UK depends on making these skills mainstream, inclusive, and practical — and we’re here to help make that happen.

Watch This Space

This is just the beginning. As the TechFirst rollout continues, we’ll be watching closely — and sharing updates as we explore new ways to contribute, partner, and support.

If you’re a school, business, or community leader looking to:

  • Get started with AI
  • Bring practical training into your setting
  • Explore what’s possible with tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or CoPilot

Get in touch. We’d love to hear from you - Contact Us

Together, we’re building a smarter, more inclusive future — one practical step at a time.

Source - GOV.UK Website