GREATER MANCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY TO OPEN SEPTEMBER 2023
Thu, 12 January 2023
A multi-million-pound bid for a new technical education institute in Greater Manchester approved by the government in December 2021 has been licensed and will open to students in September 2023.
Tameside College has been confirmed as a core further education partner in the Greater Manchester Institute of Technology which brings together a number of colleges and employers in the city region and will specialise in construction, engineering, health and digital skills.
The partners – University of Salford; Ada, the National College for Digital Skills; Bury College; Tameside College; Wigan & Leigh College; GCHQ; Laing O’Rourke; Siemens; and Talk Talk – have been working together on the proposal for the last two years. The GMIoT will offer a range of courses, including new Higher Technical Qualifications including Higher National Diplomas and apprenticeships, as well as digital and technical skills boot camps and short courses designed to fast track learners into jobs in growth sectors for Greater Manchester.
Institutes of Technology (IoTs) are the government’s flagship programme designed to spearhead the delivery of higher technical education in STEM subjects. The first wave of 12 IoTs have already opened across the country. The Greater Manchester bid was submitted as part of wave 2 of the funding competition.
The GMIoT will operate on a hub and spoke model, with capital funding being invested in a new centre at the University of Salford and hubs across Greater Manchester, with investment committed to the upgrade of existing facilities across partner colleges including Tameside College. The GMIoT will be for both school and college leavers who might be considering a career in STEM and older learners looking to upskill or retrain.
Jackie Moores. Principal and Chief Executive officer at Tameside College and Clarendon Sixth Form College, said:
“We are delighted that Tameside College is a partner of the Greater Manchester Institute of Technology. It reflects our ambition to deliver the best possible STEM provision to our community in East Manchester in collaboration with education and employer partners. The GMIoT will widen the horizon of many learners by presenting new and exciting opportunities in higher technical education. Tameside College has supported employers by investing capital funds in specialist STEM buildings including: the Advanced Technology Centre and the Construction Skills Centre. We look forward to sharing our fabulous resources with partners to create a curriculum, through apprenticeships and degrees, that delivers a pathway to highly skilled jobs.”
Jo Purves, ProVice-Chancellor Academic Development at the University of Salford, said:
“We are delighted that we’ve been successful in our efforts to bring an Institute of Technology to Greater Manchester. The GM IoT will make a valuable contribution to the education and skills system in our city region and offer residents of all ages new routes into high skilled, high paid jobs.
“Collaboration is in our DNA as a university, so we have been pleased to be able to lead this bid on behalf of our city region and bring together partners of such quality and ambition. We look forward to welcoming the first cohort of IoT students in September 2023. ”
Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, GMCA lead for Education, Skills, Work, Apprenticeships and Digital said: “It's fantastic to hear the news that the Greater Manchester Institute of Technology will open to students in September 2023. Employers continue to highlight a lack of technical skills within Greater Manchester’s workforce required to build their businesses, the Greater Manchester Institute of Technology gives Greater Manchester residents access to new employment focused education and skills opportunities, it also plays an important role in addressing the skills shortage and building Greater Manchester’s economy.”
Justin Kelly, Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership (GM LEP) lead for skills & Deputy Director of Corporate Communications and Business Development at Siemens UK, said: “We welcome the news that the partnership led by the University of Salford has been chosen to develop an Institute of Technology for Greater Manchester. We know there’s a huge demand for technical skills in STEM sectors that needs to be met.
“The IoT will play an important role in helping people upskill and reskill in areas where employer demand is high, which in turn helps businesses grow, innovate and become more productive. We’re ready to play our part in making it a success.
“As one of the UK’s largest technology companies we are passionate about nurturing the digital skills we need, not just for ourselves but for our customers and the markets we serve. We are excited about the opportunity the new Institute of Technology brings to the Greater Manchester region”