AQW 28391/22-27

Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 09/06/2025
Answered On Date: 23/06/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy, pursuant to the TechFirst programme recently lunched by the UK Government, to detail how she is seeking to develop Artificial Intelligence literacy skills within our further education system.

Answer:

My Department is committed to addressing the significant opportunities in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). My officials are working with the Further Education (FE) Sector to ensure it can develop AI literacy skills within FE Colleges.

Through the FE Digital IT Hub, FE Colleges are continually updating the computing curriculum to ensure it is current and industry relevant. This has included development and delivery of AI courses, modules and embedding of AI in curriculum delivery.

The sector works together to enhance the AI skills of all FE lecturing staff and continues to collaborate to share best practise, ensuring the alignment of AI literacy across all 6 colleges.