Students in Blackburn with Darwen have become the first in the country to complete a pioneering new digital and technology scholarship scheme.
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And already, they’ve secured places at top universities and degree apprenticeships with leading industry employers.
Blackburn with Darwen Council partnered with IN4 Group in January 2025 to roll out the first-of-its-kind MEGA Scholarships to college and sixth form students from right across the borough.
The scholarships build on the MEGA Hub programme, with pupils from every secondary school across the two towns given the chance to develop digital skills.
Over the last 18 months, MEGA Scholars have had access to global tech firms and industry mentors, including KPMG UK and Accenture, while building skills aimed at the cyber security industry.
A celebration event was held on Wednesday, where the young people took part in a hackathon before being given certificates and special awards.
CEO of IN4 Group and proud Blackburnian, Mo Isap OBE, said:
“There has never been a scholarship like this one in the country – the young people who have graduated from this course are pioneers, they are unique.
“The MEGA programme has been designed to inspire the next generation of digital leaders by providing equal access to opportunities, regardless of background.
“We are working with billion-pound companies to offer these opportunities – opportunities that we haven’t seen before and this is momentous for Blackburn with Darwen and our young people, our future.
“We want to motivate our youngsters, particularly those at risk of disengaging from education, to discover their passion and realise their potential.
“By removing barriers and offering practical pathways into the tech industry, we’re building a diverse and inclusive talent pipeline that drives real change for the future.”
The two-year course is aimed at college and sixth form students, and with support from the council, 50 MEGA Scholarships were made available through a competitive application process.
The council’s investment is linked to the Government’s relocation of the National Cyber Force to neighbouring Samlesbury — a move that could create thousands of new jobs in the tech industry.
A new intake will begin in September 2026.
The programme includes mock assessment centres, workplace visits, mentoring with industry professionals and support with applications.
Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, Councillor Julie Gunn, helped present the certificates at the event, hosted in the Fuse Box at Blackburn Youth Zone.
She said:
“We’re incredibly proud that, through our partnership with the IN4 Group and with the support of Blackburn College, Blackburn with Darwen is home to the first-ever MEGA Hub in the country and the first-ever MEGA Scholarships too.
“I was even more proud to be able to attend the event and personally congratulate the young people who have grasped this opportunity with both hands and made the very most of it – leaving a lasting impression on the course leaders and their industry mentors.
“To hear that they are going on to study at top universities, including the likes of Cambridge, and have secured top degree apprenticeships is just incredible and I wish them all the very best for their futures.
“Like Mo, we want them to go on to be incredibly successful, staying here in our borough and eventually giving back to other young people who will one day be starting out in their own careers.
“Giving our young people the very best start in life is our mission as a council, and what a fantastic example this is of us trying our very best to go above and beyond to achieve that – reflected in the new Government support for the AI training too. What a vote of confidence!”
The MEGA Programme introduces an out-of-school-hours super-curriculum aimed at high-prior-attaining Key Stage 3 students. Through Government-backed funding, Blackburn with Darwen Council rolled it out to every high school in the borough.
It is designed to extend the reach of the National Cyber Security Centre’s CyberFirst Programme.
The council says the initiative sets a new benchmark for education-industry collaboration, equipping young people with the tools and opportunities needed to succeed in the digital sector.
