£1m investment to boost Liverpool’s high-tech skills and outreach programme

A groundbreaking programme to prepare children and young people for the high-tech jobs of the future is set for a major expansion after securing more than £1m of investment through the Liverpool City Region Innovation Zone.

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has awarded Knowledge Quarter Liverpool (KQ Liverpool) £1.13m to widen the KQ Futures Programme over the next five years.

The LCR Innovation Zone Programme is expected to create 8,000 jobs and attract up to £800m investment to the Liverpool City Region over the next 10 years.

KQ Futures aims to inspire students from primary school up to 18-years-old and help them to benefit from the high paid jobs the Innovation Zone will bring.

It will raise aspirations and help tackle a skills shortage in the life sciences sector, removing barriers to future roles in innovative industries, creating new paid internships and workplace experiences in science and technology.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “Our economy is being revolutionised by innovation – particularly in sectors like health and life sciences, which is why it’s an incredibly exciting time to be in the Liverpool City Region.

“We’re standing at the forefront of a transformative period where innovation and sustainability converge, and we want to inspire the next generation of innovators and leaders to be part of that challenge.

“By expanding this programme, we’re not only tackling skills shortages, but ensuring that every young person – regardless of background – can access these high skilled, high paid roles.”

KQ Futures Programme is one of 20 projects being developed in the first phase of the city region’s 10-year, £160m Life Sciences Innovation Zone.

The new investment will scale up KQ Liverpool’s existing skills and outreach activity to reach students across the city region.

Students will learn about the types of innovation happening in the region and the potential career pathways into sectors such as health and life sciences, advanced manufacturing and digital and creative.

Andrew Lewis, chair of KQ Liverpool, said: “Enhancing skills will be fundamental to the Liverpool City Region’s long term success, and we want to ensure access to innovation opportunities is as inclusive as possible.

“By connecting local students to the innovations taking place in KQ Liverpool and across the city region, we can equip them to secure a wide range of well paid local jobs.”

Emily Robson, assistant chief executive of KQ Liverpool, said: “The LCR Innovation Zone funding not only provides us with a financial impetus to expand our KQ Futures activity, but also underlines that we are on the right track and the work we are doing is making a genuine difference to the lives of young people in the city region, today and tomorrow.”

KQ Liverpool Innovation District is a partnership bringing together the University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool City Council, the Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Bruntwood SciTech.

The Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone Programme is part of the Government’s national Investment Zone Programme.