The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology announced Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) as a strategic industry partner to the government's TechFirst programme, according to a press release statement.

The TechFirst initiative forms part of the UK AI Opportunities Action Plan and aims to help young people from various backgrounds pursue technology careers. The program provides support for individuals at different stages of the tech ecosystem, from students exploring technology to businesses seeking talent.

Under the four-year partnership, Cognizant plans to provide 100 work placements for undergraduate and master's students. These placements align with the Digital & Technology Sector Plan's six frontier industries outlined in the UK Industrial Strategy.

The company also commits to supporting 1,000 volunteering hours to mentor students across UK schools and colleges. This builds on Cognizant's Synapse initiative, which the company states has helped over one million individuals worldwide gain technology skills.

The government and Cognizant aim to support over 4,000 graduates, researchers and innovators, and reach one million students in secondary schools across the UK through the initiative.

"I am committed to creating a tech sector that is open to all – and that's why programmes like TechFirst are so important," said Liz Kendall, Science and Technology Secretary at DSIT.

Rohit Gupta, UK&I Managing Director at Cognizant, said the company's research identified that 93% of jobs could be disrupted by AI, creating a transformed environment for the future workforce.

Cognizant previously became a strategic partner to the UK government's national AI Skills Boost initiative, which aims to upskill ten million UK workers with AI skills by 2030.