A TECH programme run by a Blackburn entrepreneur has been awarded £1.2 million to help fast track local diverse talents' careers.

The money was awarded by the Department of Education and will go towards delivering six 'skills bootcamps' which aim to teach hundreds of people the skills they need to succeed in the tech industry.

The programme is run by Skills City and developed by IN4.0 Group, founded by Blackburn-born Mo Isap.

Mr Isap said: "It is a huge privilege to have this recognition for Skills City and to be a chosen partner for the Department for Education, we have an amazing opportunity to offer this alternative provision to our communities in the North West.

"Helping to fast-track people who previously would not have had access to these opportunities into world-class technology careers is what we originally set out to do, and having reached this landmark, we are excited to change the dynamic of future skills and technology talent.

"With Skills City, we have designed a unique blueprint to give employers and learners choice and our mission is to operate across the UK.

"We may be about technology, but the benefits we bring are all about people."

The funding will support 450 people with fair access to digital skills training and, Mr Isap says, will particularly focus on those from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds in order to help them into technology careers.

The Skills Bootcamps will last up to 16 weeks, with learners given the chance to take part in projects provided by IN4.0's partners organisations while the courses also give personal development support to help prepare them for interviews and a tech career.

This comes at a time when the number of people on Universal Credit has doubled to 6 million since the beginning of the pandemic, with a greater proportion coming from the North West.

Mr Isap hopes that programmes like his can help people whose job prospects have been hit in this way

It has committed that 50 per cent of learners will be represented by women in order to drive gender parity in the tech sector.

To find out more, go to: skills-city.com.