Too few young people in Manchester are aware of technical education pathways or don't see them as aspirational. How could Greater Manchester Combined Authority help them explore their options in a way that’s relevant, digital-first and student-led?
Our approach
We ran co-creation workshops with students, educators and employers to create a tool that works for them and will provide local businesses with the right future talent. Students told us they wanted something web-based, lightweight and personalised. We designed around their needs and gave them a reason to be excited about what’s next. We also created a film for the launch of the new Manchester Baccalaureate, which put students’ voices at the forefront.
The outcome
Tech Pass is a personalised digital prototype, built through hands-on testing, that makes technical education visible, aspirational and shareable for students. It tackled low awareness of T-Levels (two-year vocational qualifications for 16-19-year-olds) by focusing on interests, not grades. This helped students see technical pathways as relevant options.
