Cognizant has been selected as a strategic industry partner for the UK Government’s TechFirst program, according to an announcement by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). The initiative is designed to encourage young individuals from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in technology, aligning with the UK AI Opportunities Action Plan.
Over the next four years, Cognizant and DSIT will collaborate to improve skills, focusing on providing support to over 4,000 graduates, researchers, and innovators. The partnership also aims to engage one million secondary school students. As part of its commitment, Cognizant plans to offer 100 work placements to university students, providing them with practical experience in cutting-edge technology industries.
In addition, Cognizant will dedicate 1,000 volunteer hours to mentoring aspiring tech talent within UK educational institutions, expanding its global Synapse initiative. This collaboration highlights the government’s dedication to fostering an inclusive tech sector and Cognizant’s acknowledgement of the critical need to address the talent shortage as AI continues to transform the job market.
This partnership follows Cognizant’s involvement in the national AI Skills Boost initiative, which seeks to equip ten million UK workers with AI skills by the year 2030.