Take your ambition to a new level with The Manchester College

 As one of the UK’s largest and most influential providers of further education, The Manchester College boasts a long and respected tradition of successfully shaping student futures. With a sharp focus on careers to keep Greater Manchester confident and work-ready, the College seeks to pave an accessible path into higher education, and strengthen work-based opportunities in the heart of this vibrant city.

“The Manchester College offers an unrivalled choice of courses for school leavers at 16 including A Levels and other Level 3 academic courses and vocational programmes,” says Lisa O’Loughlin, current Principal of the College.

“…We believe in giving you a learning experience to prepare you for further study and the world of work. At The Manchester College you will have access to some of the best college facilities in the country,” she adds.

“We have great campus buildings, custom-built automotive workshops, industry-standard training restaurants and hair and beauty salons, high-tech recording studios, media suites and great live performance venues, as well as an established sports academy programme, fitness suites and sports facilities across the city.”

The Manchester College prides itself on its ability to get graduates exactly where they want to be, whether that involves completing their GCSEs, A-Levels, University degree, or even forging a path to a brand new and exciting career. Every course has been specifically-designed to help students cultivate new skills, as well as to enhance existing expertise to help them land their dream job. It really doesn’t matter whether you’ve conjured visions of becoming a culinary artiste, a business magnate, an innovative entrepreneur or anything beyond; courses at The Manchester College are bound to have you covered.

The best suited courses for all College applicants will vary depending on age and their current job position; for those bidding goodbye to their GCSEs, for example, the College has a portfolio of world-class programmes specially-tailored to the needs of those aged 16 to 18; exceptional degree courses that seek to propel your career to new, dramatic heights; and even postgraduate and professional courses for those looking to expand their expertise.

Ellie Schofield, a recent Manchester College graduate, always dreamed of a thriving career in the construction sector, an ambition that led her to enrol in the College’s Extended Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment upon completion of her GCSEs. After two years of comprehensive study on the course, Ellie developed a real passion for Sustainability and Urban Regeneration, and went on to receive the highest possible grade by the time results day came around.

On top of instilling her with invaluable and relevant expertise, such as the ability to use CAD (Computer Assisted Design) programmes among other technical skills, the course gave Ellie the confidence to pursue her dream, and was often witnessed going far beyond the requirements set by the course.

One of the most crucial aspects of the programme involves a professional work placement, and Ellie was explicitly selected by global property and construction company, Rider Levett Bucknall. “Ellie has been a great asset to the team, assisting with various projects including a large refurbishment of social housing,” says Heather Evans, an experienced construction professional who served as Ellie’s Manager for the duration of her placement.

“It has been a pleasure to have Ellie in the office and she has fitted in extremely well with positive feedback from all staff and clients especially regarding her professionalism,” she concludes. In fact, Heather and the company were so impressed with Ellie’s input that they offered a full-time work position she could walk right into.

But the fact is, not everyone is as lucky as Ellie, and The Manchester College fully understands that some people head to college with all the best intentions, but remain completely unaware of where they’d like to end up. Well, here’s one thing that makes Manchester truly unique: its staff really are experts in helping students turn passion into achievement.

“I enrolled at The Manchester College unsure of whether college was right for me,” says Lucy Barry-Doyle, former student of A-Level Literature, Sociology and Psychology. “That was quickly challenged by my tutors,” she adds. “With their support I completed my UCAS application and received a conditional offer for a BA (Hons) Criminology course at Manchester Metropolitan University, where I achieved a first class honours.”

Now Lucy is completing an MA in Youth and Community Work and continues in her role as youth worker at Manchester Young Lives – a local charity that provides enrichment sessions for those in low socio-economic communities across Greater Manchester. But Lucy whole-heartedly appreciates that without the advice and support she received from qualified staff at the College, she may never have been able to reach that career within her dream profession.

“I frequently recommend The Manchester College to the young people I engage with on a daily basis,” she concludes. “The tutors at the College went above and beyond to support and invest in me, never giving up on me during times when I was close to giving up on myself.”

All images courtesy of The Manchester College

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