Microsoft, Arm, and IBM open 10,000 tech placements for young people in the UK
Key Points
- Eight tech firms will offer 10,000 work placements to young people over three years.
- The government is targeting 20,000 entry-level tech roles a year.
- TechFirst is now open to every UK secondary school, with a goal of 1 million students by 2028.
- Ada Computer Science replaces the Isaac platform from the end of 2026/27.
- 300 women will get mentoring and matching with tech jobs by March 2027.
Microsoft, Arm, IBM and five other tech firms will offer 10,000 work placements to young people in the UK over three years.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) announced the placements on Wednesday (21 October) alongside its new Digital and Technologies Jobs Plan.
Cisco, Cognizant, AtkinsRéalis, Kainos and QinetiQ complete the list of employers backing the scheme through the government’s Digital and Tech Skills Deal.
The jobs plan sets a target of 20,000 entry-level roles in the sector each year. DCMS said some employers will create new positions to meet it, while others will fill existing vacancies they might not otherwise have prioritised. Skills England estimates that 800,000 digital and tech roles will need filling in the UK by 2035.
“Thousands of young people will get the chance to get their foot in the door in one of the UK’s biggest growth sectors, build their confidence and skills, and get something meaningful on their CV,” said Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Nearly one million young people in the UK are currently not in employment, education or training, according to the government.
The rollout follows a call from Burnham last week for employers to provide an additional 200,000 work experience placements for 14 to 16-year-olds.
The government has also asked more tech employers to sign up as Skills Deal partners and offer their own placements. Employers can register through the TechFirst Community sign-up page.
“Getting a good job in our thriving digital and tech industry shouldn’t be determined by where you live or what school you go to,” said Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
TechFirst opens to every secondary school
Every secondary school in the UK can now access TechFirst, the government’s youth tech skills programme.
The government has brought its target of reaching 1 million students forward to 2028, a year earlier than planned. That figure includes 400,000 students from the most disadvantaged schools.
Students on the programme will get workshops, skills sessions, career talks, workplace experiences, tech clubs and inter-school competitions.
Teachers can sign their school up by emailing their regional delivery partner:
- North East and Yorkshire & Humber: [email protected]
- North West and East Midlands: [email protected]
- West Midlands: [email protected]
- East of England: [email protected]
- London and South East: [email protected]
- South West: [email protected]
- Wales: [email protected]
- Northern Ireland: [email protected]
- Scotland: [email protected]
New platform for students
Every student aged 11 to 18 will also get access to Ada Computer Science, which the Raspberry Pi Foundation runs in partnership with the government.
Ada will replace the Isaac Computer Science platform, which the Department for Education currently funds, from the end of the 2026/27 academic year.
The platform covers coding, AI and cyber security through curriculum-linked lessons that students can work through at their own pace.
Mentoring and job matching
Through the separate TechFirst Women’s Programme, 300 women across the UK will receive mentoring, skills development and matching with live vacancies.
The programme covers women at all career stages, including career changers and returners, who want to move into AI, cyber security and other high-growth tech roles.
The government aims to place participants in paid roles lasting at least six months by March 2027. Women can apply through the TechFirst Women website.
