New AI pilot project looks to increase digital job opportunities for city workers
“We want to open up avenues for those who so often feel shut off from the life-changing career opportunities that AI offers”
Sunderland is set to receive a share of millions of pounds of funding of funding to help secure local people employment in the rapidly developing industry of artificial intelligence (AI).
The Sunderland AI Buddy Recruitment Pilot has secured funding from Innovate UK’s Tech Local Programme, a £7.6million initiative supporting local projects that enable digital workers to secure entry level jobs by bridging the gap between training and employment.
Led by Dr Selvakumar Ramachandran a permanent academic at the University of Oxford and tutor of AI, software engineering and social innovation courses, the consortium is made up of University of Oxford alumni Ritchie Wilson of IT consultation specialists, Bydaybreak Solutions, Andrea Bell of Sunderland Soup Kitchen, and Clare Teunissen from the University of Sunderland.
The project will pair jobseekers with small business owners to help them gain real world job experience, while enabling businesses to better understand the benefits of AI and how they can implement AI-related technologies in their organisations.
Andrea, who opened the Soup Kitchen in 2019 and is passionate about supporting disadvantaged people across the city, said: “One of the outputs we are really keen to achieve is to open up avenues for those who so often feel shut off from the life-changing career opportunities that AI offers.
“Take those who are neurodivergent. The way traditional job interviews are conducted can make some feel uncomfortable and work against them, however if you want someone who can really get to grips with data and processing, then they could be the perfect person for the job.
“Women are also far too often overlooked for tech and AI roles too, despite often boasting the essential human skills such as emotional intelligence, judgement and resilience, all of which can be key traits when it comes to leading on AI projects.
“Our mission is to break down the barriers to entry for people wishing to work in this exciting sector and provide opportunities for all.”
The Sunderland AI Buddy Recruitment Pilot will see workshops and events take place at venues across the city, from Sunderland Soup Kitchen’s Tribeca Community Hub to the North East BIC and Sunderland Software Centre.
Cllr James Jackson, Cabinet Member for Business, Housing and Regeneration at Sunderland City Council, said: “We are thrilled that the Sunderland AI Buddy Recruitment Pilot is among the successful projects to have secured funding from the Tech Local Programme.
“AI is a rapidly emerging technology which is transforming how we do business the world-over and is why projects like this, which make it more affordable for businesses to invest in AI while improving the career chances of local people, are so important.
“It will provide us with a fantastic opportunity to explore how we can upskill residents while providing the talented workers our businesses require to capitalise on the opportunities of tomorrow.”
You can find out more and register for the project via the A1 Buddy website.