Data and AI leader SAS has added full support behind the new government's initiative aimed at training 7.5 million workers with the essential skills needed for AI and technology over the next five years. As a key anchor partner in government-led skills programs, SAS provides businesses with free training materials and access to AI professionals.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the Government Industry Partnership on June 9, with the aim of equipping 20% of the UK's workforce with AI skills that need to be able to interact with using the latest technology. This includes Genai apps such as Chat GPT, Grok and Gemini, and it is estimated that at least 7 million workers in the UK are already using Genai in their workplaces.
Eleven leading technology companies, including SAS, have signed the partnership and have pledged to create high-quality training materials that can be widely and free for workers in British companies, large and small, over the next five years.
Training will focus on enabling workers to understand AI systems such as chatbots and large-scale language models to increase productivity in a wide range of roles. Sector-specific training is developed to meet the industry's needs from healthcare to manufacturing financing. It seeks to leverage the power of AI in its fuel growth strategies to support businesses and organizations.
“We are pleased to announce that we are a great opportunity to help you,” said Glyn Townsend, senior director of education services at SAS EMEA. “Artificial intelligence is restructuring work faster than previous technologies, and has been active for five unprecedented generations operating in the UK labor market. The UK is already ranked third in the Global AI League, university and entrepreneur.
Nikki Ferlong, head of public sector for Health & Life Sciences in SAS Northern Europe, added: AI innovation must be responsible and reliable.
SAS met with technology secretary Peter Kyle alongside the program's other tech partners to discuss how the programme will meet its 2030 goals.
Since its origins in the late 1960s, SAS has always held a strong belief that access to skills has been essential to a thriving economy and has long advocated for AI and data skill development in the UK through evolving initiatives and partnerships.
Every person's commitment to AI and data literacy is provided via a free online foundation course from SAS of “Data Literacy Essentials” and “Responsible Innovation and Trustworthy AI”, the latter approved for general use by the European Commission.
SAS has long established relationships with many UK universities, with free software and curriculum resources now available to academics and students. The Russell Group of 24 research-intensive universities, and 50 other UK universities, license SAS for educational and research purposes. We also partnered with the Maxwell Centre at Cambridge University to embed AI expertise to drive healthcare innovation through our advanced analytics hub and support researchers and startups.
Through a future analyst program using Talent Foundry, SAS launched the SAS Step program in March 2021, equipping young people with practical AI software skills and digital badges to underprivileged communities. This program was used to support SAS delivery of data literacy learning pathways around the world.
Every year, SAS hosts hackathons with SAS mentors to develop practical AI expertise. The annual SAS Curiosity Cup is a global platform for students to showcase their skills by submitting their own team projects.
SAS is also partnering with the Federal AI Consortium of £8 million for training and access to AI software and training and computing capabilities to support 10,000 higher education students and educators.
In 2024, SAS was the sole leader in AI recognized by four separate analysts covering AI, machine learning, data science and decision intelligence. It cemented its position and importance in the future of British AI skills.
For more information about the government's industry-led partnership with essential AI skills for UK workers, you can read it at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-launches-national-skills-drive-to-unlock-opportunities-for-young-in-tech-in-people-in-people-in-young-opportunities.
