A group of young people smiling with the words "Greater Manchester Baccalaureate" in purple

Ongoing initiatives


Discover the initiatives bringing the MBacc to life.

This section showcases all the ongoing initiatives you can get involved in — from workplace experiences to resources for families and educators.  

Each initiative is designed to help young people across Greater Manchester build the skills, knowledge and connections they need for a successful future. 

Explore what’s happening, see how you can take part and help shape the next chapter of the MBacc. 

Email mbacc@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk to register your interest.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority is working with schools and colleges to develop a range of resources for educators across our city-region.  

These resources are designed to support conversations about the MBacc with fellow educators, young people and their parents and carers, as well as helping with curriculum planning.   

Access the Educator Toolkit.

The Certificate in Applied Computing, developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Greater Manchester employers, equips 14–19-year-olds with essential digital skills from visual communication and data handling to web design and an introduction to AI. 

Designed for students who may not have chosen traditional computing qualifications, the certificate is free, self-paced, and requires no teacher marking — helping young people take ownership of their learning. 

Learn more about the certificate on the Raspberry Pi Foundation website (external website).

Currently being piloted in Greater Manchester as part of the MBacc, equalex is designed to offer enhance workplace experiences for young people by ensuring fair and equitable access to high-quality technical education opportunities.  

Embedded within the MBacc’s mission to connect students directly with employers, equalex supports the creation of inclusive pathways into industry placements, apprenticeships, and T Level programs. 

Learn more about equalex on the Careers and Enterprise Company website (external website).

T Levels are one of the key technical education pathways that make up the MBacc. Typically studied over two years, by 16-19-year-olds, they are equivalent to three A Levels.   

T Level students spend 80% of their time in the classroom and 20% on an industry placement, which lasts a minimum of 45 days. These placements are designed to give students real-world experience in their chosen sector, helping them to move into jobs, apprenticeships or higher education.  

Hands-on work experience is hard-wired into the MBacc, which is why it's critical that we work with Greater Manchester’s employers to offer T Level placements. 

Learn more about how employers can get involved in the MBacc. 

Greater Manchester’s Festival of Technical Education is a series of virtual and in-person events celebrating student achievements in technical education, as well as the education providers and employers offering these opportunities.    

Held in June and July across Greater Manchester, the Festival helps young people to explore careers, workplaces and technical education training pathways into great jobs in our growing economy.    

It supports the MBacc mission of the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, to put technical education on equal footing to the university route. 

Find out more about Greater Manchester's Festival of Technical Education.

We are bringing the Greater Manchester system together using the seven MBacc gateways. Shaped by leading local employers, these gateways give a clear view of our local economy and help young people see the path to exciting opportunities in Greater Manchester’s fastest-growing sectors. Our seven gateways are:  

  • Construction and the Green Economy 
  • Creative, Culture and Sport 
  • Digital and Technology 
  • Education and Early Years 
  • Financial, Business and Professional Services 
  • Health and Social Care  
  • Manufacturing and Engineering 

The MBacc's groundbreaking digital tool, Beeline, creates a clear line of sight to real jobs in Greater Manchester at the end of each MBacc gateway. Beeline shows what each job involves, the courses and qualifications needed to do it, how much demand there is for the role and, crucially, what it pays. 

Explore Beeline on the GMACS website (external website)

To thrive in education, work and life, young people must be equipped with practical skills, such as empathy, conflict resolution, critical thinking and problem-solving. 

The MBacc aims to support a new generation of workers to gain both the technical and essential life skills they need to confident, healthy, and productive lives. 

It its second year of delivery, the MBacc will support 10,000 16–24 year olds to gain essential life skills through a UNESCO-endorsed Skills 4 Living programme. 

Learn more about Skills 4 Living on the Higher Health website (external website).

The MBacc is for all our young people. In its second year of delivery (2025/2026), the MBacc will pilot an innovative mentoring programme for young people in, or at risk of entering the youth justice system. 

Email mbacc@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk to register your interest.