Greater Manchester sets out plans for integrated technical education system

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, along with business and education leaders, have set out their ambitions to create an integrated skills system and transform technical education provision in the city-region.

In a letter to the Education Secretary and Levelling Secretary, the city-region has set out its plans for bringing together employers with skills and training providers through partnership with the Department for Education and a new Greater Manchester technical skills board. Co-signatories to the letter calling for additional devolved powers over technical education include: Clive Memmott, Chief Executive of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Lisa O’Loughlin, Chair of the Greater Manchester Colleges Group, and Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, GMCA lead for Education, Skills, Work, Apprenticeships and Digital.

The proposals outlined in the letter include ambitions for Greater Manchester to become the first place in the country to develop an integrated skills system, giving young people a clear line of sight to available opportunities. Plans would transform the existing apprenticeships and careers service website into a new hub for all young people exploring their post-16 education options.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:

“As we continue to negotiate with Government on the next round of devolution, we are offering government the opportunity to work with us to create the country’s first integrated technical education system in Greater Manchester.

“To achieve our ambitions, we need to integrate the skills system, giving young people a clear sight of the available opportunities by matching employers and learners. The system would boost Government’s delivery of T-levels, through more joined up working with colleges and businesses.

“A reformed and simplified technical education system, more closely aligned to employers’ needs, would enable the city-region to connect people to high quality jobs and opportunities. We have already begun the groundwork in Greater Manchester, working closely with partners such as the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Manchester Colleges Group, to create a system that builds stronger links between employers and further education and training. By giving the city-region further powers, we will be able to unlock its full potential and become the UK’s leading city for learners, of all ages and backgrounds, to build technical skills.”

Greater Manchester’s proposals build on the success of the devolution of the Adult Education Budget (AEB) which saw the city-region take on responsibility for adult skills back in August 2019, and GM Working Well (Work & Health Programme), part of a suite of employment support programmes that help people with health conditions to move towards/into sustained work. The latest plans form part of Greater Manchester’s pitch for further local powers amid ongoing devolution negotiations between the Department for Levelling Up and local authorities across the country.

Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, GMCA lead for Education, Skills, Work, Apprenticeships and Digital said: 

“Since Greater Manchester took on responsibility for the Adult Education Budget we have had more control over training opportunities and skills provision for people across the city-region. We’re already using those devolved powers and resources to make more education and training opportunities available, to more Greater Manchester residents and businesses, but with the right tools we could go further, faster. There is only so much we can do without having further devolved powers.

“Employers continue to highlight a lack of technical skills within Greater Manchester’s workforce required to build their businesses. With an integrated work and skills system, we can create a system that is resilient and flexible, adapting to meet employers’ needs in the rapidly changing 21^st century world of work.

“We want to make sure that businesses want to invest and create good jobs in Greater Manchester, and that our residents have the best chance to access those new opportunities across the city-region. Our devolution proposals would play a big part in creating opportunity, addressing skills shortages and building Greater Manchester’s economy.”