According to The Guardian, the UK government is trying to tackle two major economic issues - artificial intelligence and youth unemployment - by using AI to solve the latter, rather than letting AI exacerbate job losses. At a youth center opposite Preston station, a "AI bootcamp" is currently being held in a classroom as a pilot project in the north-west of England, offering AI-related training to young people aged 16 to 24.

Three-Week Course, Employers Provide Apprenticeships Directly

Participants are either NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training) aged 16 to 24 or are at risk of becoming one. Nearly one million young people in the UK are NEETs, accounting for just over 10% of the population in that age group.

The bootcamp is funded by taxpayers and has enrolled 70 participants. The three-week course is specifically designed for NEETs, where students will learn to build AI tools, understand how companies apply AI, and use the technology responsibly. Retailers JD Sports, food company Heinz, IT company Agilysys, and others have partnered with the program to provide AI apprenticeships directly to the trainees after graduation. There are two types of positions: one for young people interested in content creation, focusing on training AI marketing specialists, and another for IT service desks, involving work requiring AI skills. Lauren Monks, an executive from the IN4 Group responsible for operating the project, said the initiative aims to fill talent gaps, improve productivity, and help various organizations implement AI applications.

18-year-old student Qudsiya Rafiq said, "No matter what career I pursue in the future, knowing AI will be very helpful." 17-year-old Remy Sims said the course "changed my view on AI," and "made me realize that people can work with AI rather than against it."

Complex Causes of the Crisis, Experts Call for Multi-Dimensional Solutions

Alan Milburn, a former Labour cabinet minister, warned in a recent report that if the government does not take action to address the NEET crisis, the UK could face a "lost generation." He called for reforming the welfare system. The report also noted that previous government employment support programs have failed to solve this issue thoroughly.

Dr. Booky Klein Tisseling, a researcher at King's College London who studies AI and future employment, said that compared to the graduate job market, there is less in-depth research on how AI affects the non-graduate job market. He believes the key to assessing the effectiveness of the bootcamp and subsequent apprenticeship programs lies in the quality of AI training and whether new employees can genuinely improve their employers' productivity.

Chris Goulder, deputy CEO of the Youth Futures organization, pointed out that the increase in NEETs is not primarily caused by AI but more related to mental health issues after the pandemic and overall economic weakness. "But we cannot be complacent; AI applications are expanding every day and are impacting a large number of jobs," he said. He added that if AI is taking away the first step for young people entering the workforce, it is reasonable to teach them to master this technology as a response.