AI Skills Festival Helps Young People Build Future-Ready Skills at Villa Park
Breaking Barriers: Movement to Work Delivers First-of-Its-Kind AI Skills Festival to Empower Young People in the West Midlands and Open Doors to the World of Work
Young people from across the West Midlands gathered at Villa Park yesterday for an AI Skills Festival hosted by youth employability charity Movement to Work (MtW), in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), global professional services firm Accenture, tech giants Microsoft and LinkedIn, and the Premier League.
The festival, held as part of National Careers Week, brought together hundreds of young people aged 18–30 who are not currently in employment, education, or training (NEET) for a hands-on, high-energy, festival-style careers experience designed to build confidence, strengthen digital skills, and open pathways into work.
Across the country, almost one million (957,000) young people are NEET, with the West Midlands and Birmingham in particular, among the hardest hit areas. The number of young people not in education, employment or training is now at its highest level in a decade, and for the first time in 25 years we’ve risen above European averages.
As youth employability charity Movement to Work highlights, a lack of work experience is often the biggest barrier preventing young people from starting their careers. Many also face additional challenges — including disability, neurodiversity, low literacy or numeracy, caring responsibilities, digital poverty, limited IT skills, and wider socio-economic barriers — making access to work even more difficult.
A recent survey from The King’s Trust found that 73% of young people are worried about their job prospects and 64% feel entry-level roles are insecure. But recent labour market data from LinkedIn suggests the current slowdown in entry level hiring is in line with broader hiring trends and is being driven primarily by macroeconomic pressures and increased competition for roles, rather than AI. In fact, hiring trends look similar for roles with both the most and least exposure to AI.
While new technologies bring disruption, they bring opportunity too, with demand for AI literacy and technical skills rising rapidly. LinkedIn data shows that job postings requiring AI skills have grown by more than 70% year over year, highlighting the growing opportunity for young people who build AI literacy and digital confidence early.
Actively responding to this shift, MtW commissioned research in 2024 highlighting the potential for AI to level the playing field for NEET young people. Building on these insights, developed the Next-Gen AI Skills Programme, creating practical learning materials to help NEET young people use Gen AI confidently, responsibly and effectively.
As part of this programme, the AI Skills Festival brought those ambitions to life. The first event of its kind in the UK specifically designed for young people furthest from the labour market, it focused on removing barriers to employment, building a future-ready workforce, and ensuring NEET young people are not left behind as AI and emerging technologies transform the world of work.
Throughout the day, participants took part in expert-led sessions from Accenture, Microsoft, and LinkedIn, gaining practical insights into these changes. The festival offered a hands-on, immersive experience to develop AI skills, boost confidence, and explore real pathways into work through six dynamic, festival-style zones, alongside live sessions and interactive experiences
The Mainstage saw Microsoft and LinkedIn introduce generative AI in an accessible and practical way, demonstrating how AI tools can support career development. In the LinkedIn Level-Up Lounge, young people took part in 1:1 and small-group coaching to strengthen their digital presence and employability skills.
At Pathfinder Park, attendees connected directly with employers, explored real career pathways, and asked questions about opportunities in the region. The Glow-Up Studio provided professional headshots for LinkedIn profiles, helping young people strengthen their digital presence and employability, while the Champions Zone featured the Premier League trophy alongside community programmes delivered by the Wolves and Villa Foundations, shining a light on the breadth of support available to young people across the West Midlands through the Premier League.
The AI Skills Festival also marked the launch of MtW’s Gen AI for Jobseekers training, a free online course that teaches young people how to use AI tools confidently and responsibly, to enhance job applications, explore career pathways, and take control of their career journey—ensuring that young people are not just aware of AI, but empowered to use it to unlock opportunity, build confidence and shape their future.
Young people also got to try Skill City, an new interactive AI game created by MtW in partnership with Microsoft and LinkedIn. This immersive experience enabled participants to explore career pathways, develop practical AI skills, and build confidence all in a fun, engaging, and hands-on environment.
Every young person attending received free access to both the course and the game, as well as a one-year LinkedIn Premium subscription, giving them practical tools to continue developing skills and career opportunities beyond the festival.
Sareena Bains, CEO of Movement to Work, said:
“We are at a defining moment for the next generation. As AI reshapes the world of work, we have a responsibility to ensure no young person is left behind. Through the AI Skills Festival, the nationwide rollout of Gen AI for Jobseekers, and our new AI Interactive Experience, we are delivering practical, engaging interventions that open doors to opportunity – creating a future where every young person, regardless of background, has the confidence, skills and support to thrive.”
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands said:
“Youth unemployment is one of the biggest challenges our region faces. But qualifications are not the only factor that determine whether a young person can get a foot on the career ladder, often it’s about confidence or experience in how to search and apply for a job.
“AI is rapidly changing how jobs are found, applied for, and performed, and events such as this AI Skills Festival can play an important role in giving young people the practical support they need to use AI and other digital skills to land jobs and get on in life.”
Abbey Carlton, Head of Social Impact at LinkedIn said:
“AI is reshaping the future of work—changing how people learn, collaborate, and build their careers. Through our collaboration with Movement to Work, we’re helping young people develop practical AI skills that build confidence and open doors to new opportunities as they navigate an evolving workforce.”
Darren Hardman, Microsoft CEO UK and Ireland, said:
“AI is fundamentally changing the way work gets done and what employers are looking for in new talent. If you can use AI with confidence and create new ways of doing things in a fraction of the time, then you will be the one at the front of the queue for jobs. That is why Microsoft is partnering with Movement to Work to help young people get the practical AI skills they need to be successful. We’ve supported more than 4,000 young people so far, and through this AI Skills Festival and our other initiatives, we’ll equip even more.”
Matt Prebble, Head of Accenture, UK & Ireland, said “In an era where AI is redefining every career path, preparing the next generation is a mission we must take on together. At Accenture, we believe in the power of bold collaboration. We are proud to join our partners at the AI Skills Festival to empower young people with the skills they need to lead, innovate, and thrive in an AI-enabled world.”