WIREDGOV

As organisations across the UK accelerate AI adoption, one challenge is becoming increasingly clear: workforce confidence in AI cannot be built overnight. Many institutions are now recognising that developing future-ready skills needs to start far earlier, well before students enter the workforce.

This understanding sits behind Credera’s ongoing partnership with the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE), through which we are supporting AI literacy initiatives designed to demystify artificial intelligence and broaden access to computing pathways for young people across the UK.

In 2024, we co-hosted an AI Explorers workshop in Leeds in collaboration with NCCE, welcoming Year 9 students for a hands-on session introducing core AI concepts alongside practical prompt-engineering exercises. Rather than focusing solely on theory, the workshop emphasised experimentation, encouraging students to interact directly with AI tools and explore how they might be used in real-world contexts. Feedback from both teachers and students highlighted the value of making AI feel accessible, practical, and relevant rather than abstract or intimidating.

Building on that success, further workshops are now underway, including an upcoming Manchester event aligned with NCCE’s broader mission to widen participation in computing education. These sessions continue to focus on building student confidence, demystifying how AI works, and helping young people understand that careers in technology are not limited to traditional programming roles. Credera colleagues support these sessions by sharing practical examples of how AI is used in real organisations, helping students connect classroom learning with real career pathways.

This partnership reflects a wider lesson for the technology sector. As AI becomes embedded across industries, the future workforce will need not only technical skills but also confidence in how to engage with AI tools and understand their impact. Programmes that expose students early to practical, accessible AI experiences can play an important role in broadening participation, particularly among girls and students from underrepresented backgrounds who may not otherwise see technology as a natural career path.

Developing AI capability is therefore not simply a question of university courses or mid- career retraining. It is about building familiarity, confidence, and curiosity much earlier in the education journey. Partnerships between industry and education providers, such as the collaboration between Credera and NCCE, offer one practical way to support that shift and help ensure the next generation is equipped to participate fully in an AI-enabled economy.