MBacc Modern Work Experience to create thousands of opportunities for young people across Greater Manchester
- Tuesday, October 20, 2026
- Posted By The Growth Company
Young people aged 11 to 16 across Greater Manchester will be able to build up to 10 days of meaningful workplace experience during secondary school through MBacc Modern Work Experience.
Part of the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate (MBacc), the initiative supports the ambition to give every young person a clear line of sight to good jobs and future opportunities across the city region.
To support its rollout, the Growth Company will deliver a new employer engagement campaign on behalf of Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), working with businesses and local partners to help young people explore careers, develop skills and make informed choices about their future.
Our employer engagement campaign aims to secure commitments from 300 employers across all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs, bringing together businesses of all sizes and sectors to reflect the diversity of Greater Manchester's economy and future growth industries.
Building on years of collaboration between employers, education providers and partners, the campaign will help remove practical barriers to employer engagement and make it easier for businesses to support young people through meaningful workplace experiences.
The Growth Company already works with GMCA on a range of employment, skills and business programmes, alongside wider business support activity across Greater Manchester. This includes supporting T Level industry placements, helping secure more than 1,000 employer pledges across the city region and creating meaningful opportunities for young people in partnership with employers, colleges and education providers.
Modern Work Experience is a national approach, supported by The Careers & Enterprise Company, that helps young people build high-quality workplace experiences throughout secondary school and contributes to the government's ambition for every young person to complete 50 hours of work experience by Year 11.
Employers can get involved through workplace visits, virtual insight sessions, employer-led projects, Meet Your Future activities and targeted work experience placements. These experiences help strengthen links between education and employers while giving young people a clearer line of sight to local jobs, training and future career opportunities.
Dawn Duggan, Head of Programmes and Initiatives, GM Business Growth Hub, said:
"We all know a young person who is at a crossroads and trying to work out what comes next. But the world of work is evolving faster, and the advice available to them doesn't always reflect the realities on the ground. The challenge is giving young people the most relevant insights and information into today's careers and opportunities.
That's why the MBacc Modern Work Experience initiative is so important. It bridges that gap by connecting young people directly with employers, and by strengthening the links between education and industry, we're creating clearer pathways into technical education, T Levels and future employment, whilst also helping employers build the skilled workforce of tomorrow."
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Bev Craig, added:
"MBacc Modern Work Experience will bring young people and employers together earlier, helping them explore different careers and see clear routes into further education, training, apprenticeships, T Levels and good jobs.
"But we can't do this without our businesses. I want employers of every size, in every borough, to get involved and help us create thousands of opportunities for the next generation that allow them to use all their talents and ambition. It's another step towards making sure no young person in Greater Manchester is left behind."
Businesses of all sizes and sectors are encouraged to get involved and help inspire Greater Manchester’s future talent. Opportunities can be tailored to suit individual organisations and may include virtual sessions, workplace visits and project-based activities.
Employers interested in supporting Mbacc Modern Work Experience can find out more information and register their interest, here: MBacc Modern Work Experience | The Growth Company