IN4 partners with university to launch cyber skills hubs

Lancaster University and IN4 Group have entered into a new partnership which will see the creation of 24 CyberFirst Gold Hubs.

The hubs aim to give ever young person access to world-class technology skills and employment.

The first will be created in Blackburn and preston before being rolled out to each of the North West Local Authority areas.

CyberFirst Gold Hubs established with Cyberfirst Gold recognised Colleges and Sixth Forms will attract inward investment to deliver STEM educational enrichment and develop a technology-embedded integrated curriculum.

They will work with education and corporate partners, including IBM, Northrop Grumman, KPMG UK, QinetiQ, and BT, to deliver skills to young people and drive employment through best-in-class degree apprenticeships and degree courses.

Blackburn-born, Mo Isap, the CEO of IN4 Group, said: "We need to urgently level the playing field to reach every single young person in every single conurbation, in every single town, in every single ward, and every single street to give them this opportunity to learn better with tech and have a clear pathway to achieving a career in tech.

“This pioneering strategic partnership between IN4 Group and Lancaster University is a significant step towards building a thriving pipeline of tech talent that will help shape the future of the North West Cyber Corridor.”

The announcement follows IN4’s major contract win of the North West contract for CyberFirst, a programme backed by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ, which was established to encourage a diverse range of young people to pursue careers in the cyber sector. 

In addition to the building of the educational blueprint, the Lancaster University partnership will support the creation of cyber jobs in the region and upskill adults, to further cement Lancashire’s position at the heart of the North West Cyber Corridor.

This will be through the CyberFirst programme’s activities and the upskilling of adult learners through IN4 Group’s Skills City division, which is one of the UK’s largest digital Skills Bootcamps operations.

Prof Andy Schofield, vice chancellor at Lancaster University, said: “We welcome this partnership with IN4 and are excited about the opportunities we can bring to young people in Lancashire and the wider region.