Building Greater Manchester's Future Workforce


Mayor's Foreword

We have a simple but bold vision for Greater Manchester: a fairer, more equal city-region with all our residents able to realise their potential and enjoy a good life. To achieve this, we must start by creating the conditions for young people to thrive and provide them with clear education and career pathways through their teens and onward into adulthood.

As employers, you are critical to this vision. Your insights shape our skills system, your opportunities inspire young people, and ultimately, your hiring decisions fuel our economy.

Building skills for a thriving Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester is one of the UK's most successful city-regions, home to more than 2.8 million people with an economy larger than Wales or Northern Ireland. Led by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) - comprising ten councils and the Mayor - we're experiencing rapid growth across sectors, driving increased demand for skilled and diverse talent.

We’re addressing this demand with a forward-thinking skills system that focuses on:

  • Expanding training opportunities: Offering relevant and accessible programs for all.
  • Promoting inclusivity: Ensuring diverse learning opportunities that reach everyone.
  • Creating clear career pathways: Supporting people to move into good jobs.
  • Building a skilled workforce: Meeting the needs of growing industries.

Employers like you are at the heart of this progress. By investing in skills and creating opportunities, you’re helping us develop Greater Manchester’s talented workforce. Together, we’re providing residents with a clear line of sight to exciting careers in thriving industries.

We’re working hand-in-hand with schools, colleges, and businesses to:

  • Inspire future talent through real-world engagement.
  • Expand adult skills training for greater career opportunities.
  • Support continuous professional development across the workforce.

Why it matters for your business

Supporting education and skills development in Greater Manchester is an investment in your organisation’s success. By getting involved, you’ll build a talent pipeline tailored to your needs, enhance your local profile, and directly shape the skills young people bring to the workforce.

Here’s how you’ll benefit:

  • Build your future workforce
    Connect early with motivated young people who are developing the exact skills your business needs. Whether through T-Levels, apprenticeships, or work experience, you’ll help shape a pipeline of job-ready talent tailored to your industry.

  • Raise your profile
    Show your commitment to Greater Manchester’s next generation. Being seen as a business that gives back enhances your reputation with customers, clients, and future employees alike.

  • Develop your team
    Empower your staff with mentoring, supervising, and coaching opportunities. These aren’t just good for learners, they boost your employees’ leadership, communication, and management skills too.

  • Close the skills gap
    You know where the shortages are. By working directly with schools and colleges, you can influence training and qualifications so they reflect what your industry really needs.

Ways to get involved

Whether you're a small business or a major employer, there’s a way to take part that fits your capacity and impact goals.

  • T-Levels are an innovative two-year qualification for 16–19-year-olds, combining classroom learning with real-world industry experience to prepare young people for skilled careers.

    What’s Involved

    • Equivalent to three A-Levels, T-Levels combine 80% classroom-based study with 20% industry placement (45 days spread across an academic year).
    • Designed to bridge the gap between education and employment, providing students with the skills and knowledge your business needs.

    Sector Availability

    • Education and Childcare
    • Construction
    • Digital
    • Health and Science
    • Business Administration
    • Engineering and Manufacturing
    • Legal, Finance, and Accounting
    • Agriculture, Land Management, and Production

Students spend 45 days with your organisation during their two-year qualification. Available in key sectors like Digital, Construction, and Healthcare.

What’s Involved?

As part of a T-Level placement, you’ll host a student for 45 days during their two-year qualification, providing them with meaningful tasks and projects. By doing so, you’ll play a key role in preparing them for future careers while gaining fresh perspectives and enthusiasm that can benefit your business.

How to Get Started:

  1. Register your interest on the T-Level placement pledge page.
  2. Create a placement profile using our simple template.
  3. Work with colleges to find the right fit for your business.
  4. Plan the placement details, including tasks, schedules, and mentorship.

Apprenticeships offer paid employment with formal qualifications. Programmes typically run 12-24 months, combining 80% practical work with 20% learning time. Suitable for anyone over 16 not in full-time education.

Sector availability

Ten major sectors offer apprenticeship opportunities, from Agriculture to Transport. Each pathway provides industry-recognised qualifications aligned with employer needs.

  • Agriculture, Environment and Animal Care
  • Catering and Hospitality
  • Construction
  • Digital
  • Education and Childcare
  • Engineering and Manufacturing
  • Hair and Beauty
  • Legal, Finance and Accounting
  • Sales, Marketing and Procurement
  • Transport and Logistics

Support young people through short-term placements and help them gain insights into your industry.

Meet Your Future

Your involvement in our successful workplace campaign can help create meaningful opportunities for young people. With over 150,000 opportunities already delivered, you can host in-person or virtual sessions that showcase your industry and inspire the next generation.

Equalex

We invite you to partner with us and the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) to deliver high-quality work experience. This innovative two-week programme connects you with schools across Greater Manchester, enabling you to provide consistent, meaningful engagement with students. By joining the pilot, you can offer experiences that benefit both young people and your organisation.

Partner with Greater Manchester Careers Hub

The Greater Manchester Careers Hub provides a unique opportunity for you to directly influence and support the future workforce. By working with schools and colleges, you can inspire young people, shape their career aspirations, and align their learning to the needs of your industry.

Enterprise Adviser Role

Your expertise can make a lasting impact. By becoming an Enterprise Adviser, you will support school and college leadership to develop sustainable careers programmes that reflect the local labour market. Join our network of over 200 Enterprise Advisers and benefit from dedicated support from our Careers Team throughout your journey.

Primary School Engagement

Engage with 150 primary schools in our network and inspire future talent early. You can deliver interactive workplace activities that challenge career stereotypes and host engaging sessions to help children explore future possibilities. Your involvement can shape career aspirations through hands-on experiences.

Secondary School Impact

Share your industry insights through practical workshops that highlight career pathways and essential job-seeking skills. Use the Employer Standards framework to align your activities with your business goals, creating meaningful connections between education and industry.

Curriculum Enhancement

Make education relevant to real-world careers by designing scalable projects that connect classroom learning with the skills needed in your workplace. You have the opportunity to create a lasting impact by collaborating on curriculum-aligned activities that reach hundreds of young people.

Contact: gmcacareershub@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk

Want to make a difference in Greater Manchester? The Employer Supporters Action Network (ESAN) is here to help you connect with young people and schools, creating real opportunities for the future workforce.

Here’s how you can get involved:

• Offer practical experience: Open up your workplace to young people through work experience, T-Level placements, or apprenticeships, helping them build the skills they need to succeed.

• Shape the curriculum: Work alongside schools and colleges to create technical education pathways that align with your industry’s needs.

• Share your expertise: Inspire the next generation by sharing your knowledge, ensuring young people are ready to take on roles in key growth sectors across the city-region.

Apply to join the ESAN

How we can support you

We’re here to make it easy for you to get involved with technical education initiatives in Greater Manchester. Here’s how we can help:

  • Connect with Schools and Colleges: We’ll help you find and connect with the right education providers to suit your business needs.
  • Access Resources: From toolkits to guides and case studies, you’ll have everything you need to get started and make an impact.
  • Develop Partnerships: We’ll work with you to build ongoing partnerships that deliver results for your business and local young people.

Want to take the next step?

Email: gmintegratedteched@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk

QUICK LINKS

Employer FAQs

Download the T-Level FAQ for Employers

Explore Employer Success Stories

Download the T-Levels Week Interview: Lisa and Ali