Inclusive career opportunities

As one of the region’s largest employers, one of our goals is to create employment and career opportunities for local people living in some of the country's most socially and economically deprived areas.

Supporting local employment

We’re a proud Manchester institution with social responsibility at the core of everything we do and are committed to making a positive impact locally, nationally and globally. We’re helping to address the social and economic challenges faced within the Greater Manchester region by providing quality work and career opportunities for people living in our neighbouring communities.

Working in partnership to create opportunities

The University actively engages with communities, collaborating with local organisations, businesses and residents to create initiatives such as skills development programmes, apprenticeships and back-to-work programmes.

We sometimes hear that people don’t think the University is a place where they could work because they aren’t academics or don’t have a degree. But our community of 12,500 colleagues perform a huge range of roles across IT, finance, estates and facilities and more, so whatever your qualifications or experience, there are plenty of opportunities to explore.

Programmes

Two of the ways we’re helping local people get into work are:

• The Works – a programme for residents in Ardwick. It provides advice, training and support to job seekers and will match you with local employer jobs, including the University.
• Apprenticeships – a blend of paid on-the-job training and study where you’ll learn valuable skills and help to secure a qualification and full-time employment.

Discover a place where you belong

Many apprentices and those joining through The Works have found fulfilling careers with us. These programmes provide a unique opportunity for individuals like Samantha, Lewis, Alisha and Branko to kickstart their careers and thrive within a supportive and inclusive environment.

Find out more about how they joined the University and the support available.

Apprenticeship opportunities

The University has technical apprenticeship programmes available (levels 2 to 7) where you can develop skills for a career in industry.

For Alisha, who started an apprenticeship here at 16 and now works as a Lead Technician, being able to help educate school students on the benefits of working as a technician and within engineering has been exciting.

“I think I made the right choice with my career, every day has been different… it’s really fun and keeps me very happy.”

The programme also supports professional and personal growth, Alisha’s enjoyed networking at the Science Museum in London, bonding with fellow apprentices, and the opportunity to progress in a career without the need to study for a degree first.

“When I started, I did my Level 3 apprenticeship. I’m currently doing a Level 4 Higher National Certificate and then hopefully complete a Higher National Diploma or a degree. Job-wise, I hope to progress here into a managerial role.”