“Through TechFirst we aim to reach one million young people across the UK with meaningful AI and technology learning by 2028, a year earlier than planned, weighted towards the schools furthest from opportunity.”

Where it stands

TechFirst is the government's technology skills programme, backed by up to £250 million in all. The press release the same day says every secondary school can now use it and that 400,000 of the million should come from the most disadvantaged schools. The card moves when the government reports how many young people TechFirst has reached.

What has happened

1. Oct 2026The government aims to reach one million young people with AI and technology learning through TechFirst by 2028, a year earlier than planned, Promised
2. Dec 2028One million young people reached by TechFirst due by 2028, Deadline

About the cost

The government's own figure: the youth strand is backed by £24 million over three years, shown as £8 million a year on average. The plan does not say which three years. Low–high is an editorial ±10% because the source gives a central figure only.

• Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, 21 Oct 2026: Digital and Technologies Jobs Plan

More detail

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