Pioneering schools tech project planned for Blackburn

EVERY secondary school in Blackburn with Darwen is set to be part of a pioneering technology education pilot project.

The programme will support hundreds of pupils and provide 50 scholarships to equip the borough’s youngsters with the cyber skills needed in the modern world.

Blackburn with Darwen Council is partnering with Salford-based IN4 Group, one of the UK’s largest technology skills and innovation providers for the new initiative.

The new ‘MEGA (motivated, educated generation with ambition) Hub’ programme that will nurture over 600 pupils and mentor 50 scholarship students each year across the borough to secure the best digital technology careers.

It builds on the success of IN4’s major North West and West Midlands CyberFirst contracts with the National Cyber Security Centre,

Blackburn with Darwen Council, IN4 Group and its partners are committing more than £300,000 a year into the MEGA Hub.

The new pilot was announced by the leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council Cllr Phil Riley and the the chief executive officer of IN4 Group and Blackburn entrepreneur Mo Isap at a CyberFirst celebration for schools and colleges across the North-West.

Mr Isap said: “It’s a moment of great pride that I have the ability to further invest in my hometown, specifically to support our talented young people who have the potential to be great but due to disadvantage, deprivation and discrimination end up being average at best.

“We grew up not knowing we had started life in the second-class carriage.

“My aim is to ensure all our young people belong in the first-class carriage of the technology express, which will take them to incredible destinations and, in doing so, make our borough great again in the fourth Industrial Revolution as it was in the first one.”

The CyberFirst and MEGA Hub programmes link closely to the government’s investment of more than £5 billion in its new National Cyber Force in neighbouring Samlesbury.

Cllr Riley said: “We are determined to inspire our young people,

“We want to show them the opportunities that are available and make sure they have the skills to give them the very best chance to succeed in life.

“We want to help open their eyes to the different careers available in digital and technology, especially with the re-location of the National Cyber Force to Salmesbury.

“The CyberFirst programme has already seen incredible results, and we’re really pleased to have been able to work closely with Mo and his fantastic team to bring this first-of-its-kind pilot to Blackburn with Darwen.”

Fifty Scholarships will be awarded to 16-year-olds starting sixth form or a Level 4 qualification, with a £1,000 student bursary.