Atos partners with Futures Readiness to provide free AI education across the West Midlands
United Kingdom – September 30, 2026
A new partnership co-funded by Atos and Tech First Youth makes Futures Readiness available free of charge to up to 650,000 learners across the West Midlands.
Atos, a global leader in AI-powered digital transformation, has today announced a new partnership with Futures Readiness, co-funded with Tech First Youth. Futures Readiness is a holistic AI preparedness programme designed to help students and staff make sense of rapid technological change. The partnership, delivered in collaboration with BMet’s Digital Technical Excellence College, the Sir Peter Rigby Charitable Trust and the Rigby Foundation, and endorsed by Birmingham City Council, will enable schools and colleges to access the programme’s regular, real-time resources free of charge.
Society and the workplace are being reshaped by AI with new capabilities, risks and behaviours emerging in cycles of weeks and months. Futures Readiness is designed to help education keep up with the development of AI as responsive enrichment to the curriculum, rather than a static course or one-off intervention.
Every three weeks, Futures Readiness produces interactive videos helping schools respond to live developments in AI, education, work and society. Each resource distils complex and fast-moving change into accessible, critically engaging content. Built-in pause-points, discussion prompts and reflective questions enable students and staff to interrogate the implications of what is happening rather than passively consume information about it, as well as considering what the use of AI means for learning, relationships, wellbeing and privacy.
The programme centres around the concept of AI Discernment, which describes the judgement to know when and how AI should be used, when it should be approached with caution, and where it shouldn’t be applied. By teaching AI literacy and critical thinking, Futures Readiness equips young people and educators to live, learn and work in a world increasingly shaped by AI.
This partnership marks Atos’ third investment into the development of AI skills in the West Midlands this year. In February, Atos announced the creation of 30 apprenticeships at its Sovereign Delivery Centre on Birmingham Business Park in Solihull, which works to address the growing demand for sovereign UK-based IT delivery, agentic automation, data hosting and resiliency. The apprentices are on AI-proofed career paths, with Atos giving them the skills and experience they need to grow alongside AI and build resilient careers that evolve with technology rather than compete with it. In March, it launched an online digital skills provision with its partner Lynx Learning, which includes courses on AI. Targeted at those in the region who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), these individuals have access to a catalogue of digital and employability courses, supported by a dedicated employment coach.
Michael Herron, Head of Atos UK&I, said: “I’m delighted to be able to support the communities we work in with AI readiness skills that help young people to thrive in a future workplace where humans and AI co-exist.”
Futures Readiness already reaches tens of thousands of students and educators in Birmingham. It provides age-appropriate resources at Foundation level for Upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3, and at Core level for Key Stages 4 and 5, as well as teachers and adults working in education. Schools and colleges across the West Midlands can now access Futures Readiness resources free of charge.
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Schools and colleges wishing to explore the Futures Readiness resources should email the programme’s founder, Alex Zarifeh, at alex@futuresreadiness.com, or complete the enquiry form at futuresreadiness.com.
About Atos
Atos is the Atos Group brand dedicated to AI-powered, secure, end-to-end digital services. Atos designs, develops, and operates critical digital environments that drive performance, resilience and sovereignty, helping public and private organizations worldwide retain control over their data and infrastructures, while meeting regulatory requirements.
With more than 52,000 employees serving over 4,500 clients across 54 countries, Atos helps modernize core IT systems, accelerate cloud and data transformation, strengthen cybersecurity, and deliver secure digital workplace environments to support its clients, its employees and society. Atos also provides consulting and advisory services through its Atos Amplify brand.
A trusted partner in operating complex and mission-critical environments, Atos supports organizations across highly regulated and sovereign contexts.
About Atos Group
Atos Group is a global leader in digital transformation with c. 54,000 employees and annual revenue of c. €7.2 billion, operating in 54 countries under two brands – Atos for services and Eviden for products and systems. European number one in cybersecurity and a leader in cloud, Atos Group is committed to a secure and decarbonized future and provides tailored AI-powered, end-to-end solutions for all industries. Atos Group is listed on Euronext Paris.
Press contact
Tessa David | tessa.david@atos.ai | +44 (0) 7947 755 911
