Wolverhampton MP welcomes funding for digital diversity courses at university

Wolverhampton South West MP Stuart Anderson said he was delighted that Wolverhampton University has become one of 30 universities to have been awarded a share of £8.1 million funding for artificial intelligence (AI) and data science conversion course student scholarships.

The scholarships aim to help address the shortage of AI and data specialists in the UK and to increase diversity in the sector, supporting the Government’s priority to invest in AI to encourage innovation in every sector and region.

The scholarships will support the delivery of up to 817 scholarships in 2023-24, each worth £10,000, and further funding will be available for 2024-25, subject to confirmation.

The funding is from the Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Office for Artificial Intelligence, and is being awarded by the Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator of higher education in England.

The university is offering masters courses in Data Science and AI, which include a programming and mathematics induction programme to give students the skills they need to succeed in this field.

These conversion courses are providing the opportunity to develop new digital skills or retrain to help find new employment in the UK’s cutting-edge AI and data science sectors, even for those who have no previous experience in the field.

They are aimed at students who are currently significantly underrepresented in these types of courses, including black students, disabled students, and students who are from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

In Parliament, Mr Anderson said he had previously raised the importance of increasing access to STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics).

The funding aims to address these issues by working with universities and industry to enable people to upskill or gain entirely new capabilities and expertise aimed at a career change.

Mr Anderson said: “Helping people to upskill and secure employment in the UK’s cutting-edge technology sectors is critical to unlocking the UK’s economic growth and productivity.

"That’s why I am delighted that Wolverhampton University will benefit from this investment to deliver conversion course student scholarships in artificial intelligence and data science for those from significantly underrepresented groups.

"The funding will help to support a diverse range of people into digital roles, tackling the digital skills gap and ensuring that both industry and the public sector can access the greatest supply of talent across the country.

"I would encourage everyone who believes that they are eligible to apply for the amazing opportunities available here on our city’s doorstep in Wolverhampton.”