Skills for Growth programme expands with £1.5 million contract award

Greater Manchester’s Skills for Growth programme to provide targeted support to upskill the city-region’s workforce has announced a £1.5 million contract award for those working in Early Years education.

GMCA has awarded a £1.5 million contract to Acorn Training to deliver fully-funded training to those working in the Early Years sector in Greater Manchester to help young children get the best start to their education.

The high quality continued professional development, as part of the Skills for Growth programme, is funded through the European Social Fund and aims to combat cost challenges that are cited as the main barrier to learning for the Early Years sector. The latest contract award follows the launch of other programmes to tackle skills shortages in Greater Manchester, including the digital and logistics sectors.

Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, Greater Manchester’s Lead for Education, Work, Skills, Apprenticeships and Digital, said:

“Our greatest resource is our children, and we need to invest in their Early Years education by giving teachers and the workforce the resources they need to inspire those young minds.

“To realise our ambitions the sector must have the right skills and the best training available to help our children reach their true potential, improve their outcomes, raise social mobility and empower our businesses with an ever-growing talent pool.

“We look forward to the launch of the Acorn Training programmes, as we endeavour to inspire the next generation to bigger and better things.”

Cllr Mark Hunter, Leader of Stockport Council and Greater Manchester’s Lead for Young People, said:

“We know the sector is suffering from a significant skills shortage.  It’s fantastic to hear GMCA, with investment from the European Social Fund, is partnering with Acorn Early Years Training Programme to address that shortage.

“This is an important initiative aimed at attracting new talent to the sector and providing them with the skills and qualifications needed, to pursue a rewarding career shaping the futures of our children.”

Gareth Saldanha-Fallows, Managing Director at Acorn Training, said:

“We are delighted to be bringing our Early Years training expertise to Greater Manchester.

“We will work in partnership with local employers in the Early Years Sector to understand their business needs and offer bespoke training bundles. Our training is designed to support the business objectives, development and ensure they can continue to provide a high-quality care offering to children under five within their provisions.

“The learners are at the heart of everything we do, and our talented team of trainer assessors and tutors ensure that learners are well-equipped with the skills and knowledge that they need to aspire, make good choices and succeed in their chosen career within the Early Years Sector.”