New investments to provide Mancunians with greater access to technical education and skills
Over £5m to be invested in new facilities which enable more people to acquire the skills required for a future career.
The Manchester College is proud to announce a major investment in its facilities and curriculum, designed to meet the growing demand for high-quality technical education across Greater Manchester.
Supported by the GM Post-16 Sufficiency Fund, the College will develop new teaching spaces and refurbish existing facilities. The investment will support the introduction of new courses across three of the College's campuses — all aimed at preparing students for successful careers in key industry sectors aligned to the skills needs of the city.
New facilities and courses for Harpurhey
Part of the investment will be into the College’s Harpurhey Campus where a new science laboratory will be installed to support expanded provision in the College’s Applied Science and Health and Social Care provision, seeing delivery of Level 1 to Level 3 courses starting from 2026/27. This will provide aspirational routes into a rewarding career for communities across North Manchester.
New courses include:
- Level 3 T Level in Computing
- Level 3 Business
- Level 3 Creative Media Production and Technology
- Level 3 T Level in Education and Childcare – two pathways: Assisting Teaching / Early Years Educator
- Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 in Health and Social Care
- Level 1 and Level 2 in Applied Science
- Level 1 and Level 2 in Engineering
- Supported Internships The investment in Harpurhey Campus and new course provision forms a core part of the College’s commitment to providing all communities across the city with access to the skills and education they will need for a rewarding career.
Construction and Engineering at Openshaw
In addition to the developments at Harpurhey, the College is also investing in new facilities at its Openshaw Campus. This includes a brand-new 630m² Engineering Workshop featuring 10 welding bays, a mechanical inspection and testing area and specialist classrooms, including a specialist electronics lab and design suite giving students access to industry standard software and equipment.
These facilities will support the expansion of the College's T Level provision in Engineering and Construction Fabrication and Welding alongside growth in Level 1 and Level 2 engineering courses.
In addition, four new classrooms will be installed to support theory, and English and maths provision while existing construction spaces will be remodelled to meet demand in plumbing, joinery, electrical installation and brickwork disciplines.
Science at City Campus Manchester
Finally, the College will also repurpose existing space at its City Campus Manchester which will see existing classroom space repurposed into a new science laboratory, enabling the College to expand its Applied Science provision across all levels, including T Level pathways in science for 2026/27. This will support the College to meet demand for applied science, fueling growth in the sector across Greater Manchester.
Principal Rachel Curry commented: “These developments will create new student places by 2026/27, building on the additional places already funded through other college investment.
“They reflect our ongoing commitment to delivering industry-standard education that meets local and national skills needs, and to providing inclusive, high-quality learning environments across Manchester.
We are now looking forward to the development works being completed so that we can start supporting even more students to achieve their aspirational goals.