TMC and UCEN Manchester awarded Technical Excellence College status

The Manchester College and UCEN Manchester have been awarded Technical Excellence College (TEC) status for Digital Technologies.  

The TEC in Greater Manchester is one of 19 projects announced today by the Government, which will collectively provide 65,000 learners across the country with access to the high-level technical skills needed to access well-paid, high-skilled jobs. 

Backed by £175 million of government funding, the 19 new TECs will deliver high-quality training in the sectors driving Britain's growth, giving learners a clear route from education into work. 

A collaborative approach will be taken by the TEC to the development of high quality digital education and training, particularly given that the economy of Greater Manchester and the M62 corridor is highlighted by government as a specialist cluster area for cyber-security and artificial intelligence.  

The College will therefore work with other partner colleges, universities and employers in Greater Manchester and the wider region, using a spoke-and-hub model. The TEC will serve as a hub of excellence, collectively developing provision that meets the needs of the economy, capturing and sharing best practice and creating a pipeline of opportunity for students who are then ready to positively impact their own lives, communities and the economy through the digital skills they have learned.  

Rachel Curry, Principal of The Manchester College and UCEN Manchester, and Deputy CEO of LTE Group, commented:

We are delighted to have been selected as a Technical Excellence College for Digital Technologies and are excited to start delivering collaboratively to develop the skills and training that will help meet the skills need in high-demand job sectors across the region.  

"The focus on supporting the thriving cyber-security and AI sectors will open opportunities for the communities served by the wide network of colleges and providers across the region. This will include equipping them with the skills they will require to access the rewarding, high-skill, high-pay careers that are emerging in the region's economy.”    

Welcoming the launch of the second wave of TECs, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “I want every young person to know there is a clear route into well‑paid work, whatever their background. These colleges put technical skills front and centre, opening up high‑quality jobs in the industries driving Britain's future. We are backing talent across the country, strengthening our workforce and making sure opportunity is built into the system – not left to chance.”