The Manchester College enlists Jason Manford to give the gift of education for Christmas

 College (@TheMcrCollege) launches its new strategy to deliver high quality technical education to Greater Manchester as new city centre campus reaches full height. @JasonManford @LTEgrp

The Manchester College- the number one College in Greater Manchester for overall student achievement – gave the city the gift of education this festive period with a little bit of help from Jason Manford.

With the construction of its new city centre campus progressing at speed, and the structure now at full height, the College was joined by comedian and performer Manford, fresh from his appearance on the Royal Variety Show, as it announced the launch of its new strategy to become the number one provider of technical education in the North West within the next five years.

Principal of The Manchester College Lisa O’Loughlin, Jason Manford and LTE Group CEO John Thornhill

Announcing the strategy Principal Lisa O’Loughlin said: “With the short to medium term economic environment looking incredibly challenging due to the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever before that we help equip Mancunians with the skills that will be needed to help the local economy recover. With us starting delivery of T Levels, the government’s new technical qualification equivalent to three A Levels, next September, the timing is right to focus our efforts on becoming the leading provider of technical education in the North West.

“Our journey to this started this summer with the launch of our Industry Excellence Academies, where students benefit from courses that are co-developed and co-delivered with employers, and our Centre’s of Excellence where they can develop the fundamental skills required for a future, aspirational, career. This will enable us to develop further partnerships and connections with employers and offer more of our students work placement opportunities so that we can ensure that they go on to become the next generation of industry excellence.”

Jason Manford gives the gift of education for Christmas

Integral to the College’s strategy is the £140m investment its parent company, the LTE Group, is making in the College’s campuses, making it  one of the largest co-created and co-funded projects the post-16 education sector has ever seen. The investment, benefiting 1 million Mancunians over its life span, will provide students with industry standard, state of the art facilities, including the brand new five storey city centre campus currently under construction next to the AO Arena.

Being built by Wilmott Dixon, the new £93million campus will be home to the College’s Industry Excellence Academies for Computing & Digital, Creative and Digital Media, while also providing new facilities for the Industry Excellence Academy for Hospitality & Catering and our Centre of Excellence for Performing Arts.

It will also provide a dedicated space for sister organisation and higher education provider UCEN Manchester, providing a base for The Arden School of Theatre and Manchester Film School.

 Jason Manford

New facilities will include:

• Computing and Media Studies including state-of-the art equipment and software including new programs for cyber-security
• Industry-standard photography studios with equipment and space to develop
• Bespoke specialist practical spaces for Media Make-up and Special Effects
• A ‘jewel box’ designed theatre
• Specialist TV and film studios

• Eight rehearsal rooms with full PA systems, five recording studios, four Mac suites running state of the art industry software and a DJ studio for Music students
• Six double height professional multi-purpose studios with full sprung Harlequin floor systems for Performing Arts students
• An exciting range of inspiring, dynamic and collaborative studio and workshop spaces for Visual Arts students
• A bakery, restaurant and coffee shop for Hospitality and Catering students to refine their skills in.

LTE Group CEO John Thornhill, Jason Manford and The Manchester College Principal Lisa O’Loughlin