IN4 to train and place 1,000 career break mums and carers in high skilled data roles

By IN4.0 Group

18 Dec 2024

xanthe 061124 010 copy.jpg.jpg

The free to access Power of MIND (Mums in Data) Programme from IN4 Group plans to train and place 1,000 career break mums and female carers into highly skilled data roles by the end of 2025.

Led by Blackburn entrepreneur Mo Isap, leading professional technology skills provider IN4 Group has created The Power of Mind (Mums in Data) Programme.

By the end of 2025, Mums in Data plans to train and place 1,000 career break mums and female carers in high-skilled data roles within local organisations such as Housing Associations, NHS and Local Authorities.

IN4 Group will work across 25 UK Local Authorities, with plans to upskill 40 women in each local community. The programme will be co-invested from public and private sector partners and free to access. 

 Mums in Data aims to unlock the talent and potential of mothers and female carers who want to return to the workforce and help them into much in demand data roles across the UK.  

 The programme addresses the current challenge that many women face in choosing between childcare and their careers, resulting in a high percentage of women becoming economically inactive, impacting their personal health and well-being.

Data roles offer high flexibility, with many being fully remote, enabling mums and carers to pursue a career without compromising family or caregiving responsibilities.

Additionally, mums and carers bring essential soft skills — like problem-solving, communication, and critical thinking — that are highly valued in data analyst roles.

 The most recent UK labour market statistics show that 9.26m people aged 16-64 were economically inactive, setting the inactivity rate at 21.8 per cent. Of this, 1.75 million (18.9 per cent) are caring for family or home, of which a substantial portion are likely stay-at-home mums.

Mums in Data will address a critical need for the UK economy. Demand for skilled data workers is growing, and the UK has a shortage, which is exacerbated by the failure to train and recruit women.

Women are under-represented across all STEM fields, and in the data industry in 2023, men outnumbered their female colleagues in data by more than four to one, at a time when businesses are struggling to recruit people with data skills.

A recent government report found that nearly 48 per cent of businesses in UK were recruiting for data roles, with over 234,000 data roles to be filled. Almost half of businesses (46 per cent) struggled to recruit for roles that require data skills. 

 The programme attendees will achieve a professional data qualification in data governance and compliance, culminating in a one-month data project placement with a local employer.

The programme will be delivered in a flexible and hybrid form to ensure the participants can access it without having to compromise on childcare or caring responsibilities.

Recruitment of the first cohort will start in December 2024 for an initial group of 20 mums and carers in Blackburn, Lancashire. Lancashire has one of the highest economically inactive populations in the UK. 

 The programme builds on IN4 Group’s track record since 2020 in delivering its award-winning programmes, designed to achieve optimal economic and social impact and drive fair access to technology futures for young people, career changers, early-stage entrepreneurs and industry small and large.

IN4 Group operates across all UK regions and internationally across the Middle East. It has supported over 2,500 people into tech careers, of whom 41 per cent women, 53 per cent ethnic minorities, 51 per cent career changers, and 49 per cent unemployed. The group achieved an incredible £14.3m of social impact in 2023, delivering a social return on investment of £6.28 for every £1 invested.

 Mo Isap, CEO of IN4 Group, said: “As the Government has acknowledged to get Britain growing again, we’ve got to get Britain working again. What is needed is a targeted, hyper local approach which helps specific groups, such as mums and carers, get back into the workforce, and not just rely on job centres.  

"The inspiration for The Power of Mind (Mums in Data) has come from the success we’ve had with career break mums from some of our other Skills City programmes with life transforming impact; this has led me to create a more deliberate programme for stay-at-home mums and female carers, ensuring they can have great careers without compromising their children or caring responsibilities.

"The mission of the Programme is to meet the needs of the economy without compromising the responsibilities of society.”

 Xanthe Sharp, apprentice business analyst (and Mother of Two) who completed a Cloud Analytics Bootcamp with IN4, said: “Embarking on a new career has been transformative for my life. I’ve got confidence and it’s made a big difference to my family.

"My current role is 100 per cent working from home; it fits in really well with the school runs and allows me to be there when the children are at home. The advice I’d give other mums thinking about whether to take this step is just go for it. You’ll have something amazing on your CV and will learn new skills.”

Latest news

1

College restaurant honoured with top culinary award from prestigious chefs’ guild Karen Lilley Front Of House Lecturer David McKown David Lyon Scholars Manager And Blackburn College Principal Dr Fazal Dad

College restaurant honoured with top culinary award from prestigious chefs’ guild

10 Jun 2025

2

Cosmetic manufacturer lets new unit on Frontier Park, Burnley Badgequo have agreed to let the site on Frontier Park

Cosmetic manufacturer lets new unit on Frontier Park, Burnley

10 Jun 2025

3

SQ Digital celebrates 25 years and enters new era with CEO appointment Kamal Essa

SQ Digital celebrates 25 years and enters new era with CEO appointment

09 Jun 2025

4

New chair appointed to Atlas BFW Management Graham Cowley

New chair appointed to Atlas BFW Management

09 Jun 2025

5

Napthens makes key appointments to further growth strategy of newly appointed managing director Napthens appointments Jayna Mistry, Onyeka-Obedi and Rebecca Rhodes

Napthens makes key appointments to further growth strategy of newly appointed managing director

09 Jun 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
Sub36 Networking
Sub36 Social1200pxandi Lewis
Networking
11 Jun 2025

Sub36 Networking

Mytton Fold Hotel , Blackburn , BB6 8AB

09:30 - 11:00

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference
Net Zero Carbon Social 1200pxtrident 2
Networking
18 Jun 2025

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley, BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley College Industry Hub, Burnley, BB120AN

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up
LBV Hub Networking
12 Jun 2025 - 12 Jun 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
12 Jun 2025 - 12 Jun 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

Midnight Oil: The Entrepreneur’s Journey: Scaling Strategies with Brad Waldron
BU-June-Event-BRAD-1.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
18 Jun 2025 - 18 Jun 2025

Midnight Oil: The Entrepreneur’s Journey: Scaling Strategies with Brad Waldron

Blackpool Football Club, Bloomfield Rd, Seasiders Way, Blackpool, FY1 6JJ

08:30 - 11:30

Chamber Business Lunch – June
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
20 Jun 2025 - 20 Jun 2025

Chamber Business Lunch – June

Lancaster House Hotel, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4GL

11:00 - 13:30

90 day Business Planning Workshop
LBV Event Header.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
20 Jun 2025 - 20 Jun 2025

90 day Business Planning Workshop

Bolton Arena, Arena Approach, Horwich, BL6 6LB

09:00 - 16:30

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin