The £3m fund has now opened for applications in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Lancashire LEP areas and will close on Friday 6 September. Consortia of employers and training providers (including colleges and universities) can bid for between £50,000 and £180,000 to run innovative digital training schemes linked to skills shortage vacancies.

We are particularly looking for innovative creative projects that:

• Design training that addresses industry digital skills shortages aligned with the GM Local Industrial Strategy; which prioritises; cyber security, broadcasting, content creation and media, software development, digital telecoms, fintech and e-commerce.
• Address digital skills shortages in the Lancashire LEP area, including advanced IT or software skills of a technical nature including cyber skills and PHP programming, software development and engineering, digital skills for engineering and health innovation, and digital marketing.
• Test flexible delivery models to ensure a range of people are able to access training; supporting career progression and diversifying the digital talent pipeline.
• Test new partnerships between employers and training providers (including colleges and universities) that show the potential for longer-term sustainability and scalability.

You can have a look at the slides shared at the launch events in Greater Manchester and Lancashire on 25 June. 

To find out more about the fast track fund and make an application please visit the chest and register your interest. 

For queries about the fund please email: FastTrackDigital@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk