16th February 2026

Why the £23m EdTech & AI pilot matters for your career

Why the £23m EdTech & AI pilot matters for your career

The UK government’s recent announcement of a £23 million expansion of an edtech and artificial intelligence (AI) pilot across schools and colleges is more than just an education story; it’s a signal of huge opportunities for women in technology.

Unveiled at the Bett UK conference, the four-year programme will see more than 1,000 schools and colleges trial the latest edtech and AI tools to gather robust evidence on their impact on learning outcomes, teacher workload and inclusion, including for learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

A growing market and a space for female tech leaders

For anyone building a career in tech today, the public sector remains an exciting growth area. This latest investment underscores the UK’s focus on using technology to improve education at scale, marrying digital innovation with real-world impact.

AI and EdTech tools are being rigorously evaluated to understand what works and why. This creates an ecosystem ripe for high-quality research, product development and deployment.

More than 280 expressions of interest from edtech firms indicate strong industry demand to shape this space.

Skills pathways for teachers and support staff will be part of the broader roll-out, signalling that digital and data expertise are now essential components of the education workforce.

For women in tech, whether you’re in software engineering, data science, product design, research, or AI ethics, this is a market where your expertise can make a tangible difference.

Why This Matters for Women in Tech

  1. EdTech and AI are expanding fast
    The need to test and scale new technologies across thousands of institutions creates demand for engineers, UX designers, AI researchers and project leads, fields where women are still underrepresented.
  2. Impact beyond commercial tech
    Unlike some sectors where technology is pursued for disruption alone, edtech prioritises improving outcomes for learners and supporting educators, objectives that align well with values-led tech careers.
  3. Inclusive innovation is critical
    The pilot’s emphasis on SEND and reducing teacher workload shows an awareness that technology must be effective and accessible to all learners. Inclusive design and ethical AI, areas where women’s perspectives are especially powerful, are central to this agenda.

Seizing the opportunity

If you’re a woman in tech looking to influence the next wave of digital learning tools:

  • Explore partnerships with edtech vendors within the pilot’s ecosystem.
  • Share your insights on inclusive design and AI fairness in education forums and conferences.
  • Consider roles in education policy tech, research or standards development — spaces where technology intersects with public good.
  • Advocate for ethical, user-centred AI in schools and colleges, ensuring innovation benefits all learners.

A call to innovate

As the edtech and AI pilot expands, it sends a message: education technology isn’t just about innovation, it’s about meaningful change. For women in tech, this is a chance to shape tools that matter in everyday classrooms and to build careers at the intersection of technology, learning and social impact.

The future of education will be written with code, data, design and thoughtful leadership and there’s every reason for women to be at the forefront of that future.

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