A MANCHESTER training provider has become the first organisation to be established as a University Centre for the University of Bolton.

The Growth Company Education and Skills offers a huge range of apprenticeships, traineeships, work placements and courses for people throughout their working lives.

It has worked with the University of Bolton for more than 15 years, delivering Higher Education programmes in Management, Early Years and Childhood Studies and Education.

The University Centre is based in the heart of Manchester in Great Bridgewater Street, and caters for between 200 and 250 students each year on the Bolton programme.

The Growth Company is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to enable growth, create jobs and improve lives across Greater Manchester and beyond.

Rose Davies, head of Higher Education at The Growth Company Education and Skills, said: “We are a training provider that offers degrees and a whole range of courses, mainly in the evenings.

“We help adults who want to progress in their career. Our courses are designed to upskill individuals and help them to achieve their full potential.

“We pride ourselves on the support we give to our learners and often have smaller class sizes, which our students prefer.

“Our courses give people opportunities they would not otherwise have.”

To celebrate their new University Centre status, The Growth Company has launched a new and innovative course for managers and aspiring managers.

The Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) has been developed in partnership with employers to meet the needs of businesses and will revolutionise the way in which future managers are trained.

Rose said: “The Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship is perfect for people in a junior management position who needed to learn skills to move up the ladder.

“It covers every aspect of business, including HR, finance and a variety of essential business skills.

“Employers can get huge benefits from this, not just by upskilling their workforce but by using the Apprenticeship Levy to fund the CMDA. Plus, by developing staff, employees are more motivated, loyal and productive.

She added: “Funding for degree apprenticeships is one of the country’s best-kept secrets and we are here to support companies to take full advantage of this opportunity.”

Prof George Holmes, President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Bolton, said: “We are delighted that The Growth Company has achieved University Centre status.

“Our strong relationship has helped them to become the first of our satellite University Centres.”

“The Degree Apprenticeship being offered will help to train up a strong, resilient set of managers for the future.”

The Growth Company has recently been graded by Ofsted as Grade 2: Good across all areas of their provision.

To find out more about how The Growth Company can upskill your employees or to recruit an apprentice, visit http://www.gceducationandskills.ac.uk/