Greater Manchester’s Devolution Journey
Greater Manchester (GM) has been a pioneer in English devolution, gaining powers over transport, housing, policing, and—crucially—employment and skills. With the latest devolution deal, GM now has even more control over:
- Adult skills funding
- Careers provision
- Employment support programmes
This means local leaders can shape services to better meet the needs of residents and businesses.
A new era for skills and education
The Greater Manchester Baccalaureate (MBacc) is a new technical education pathway introduced by the Mayor of GM. It aims to:
- Create parity between academic and technical routes
- Offer young people more flexible and practical career options
- Align education with real-world job opportunities
This shift supports Bury’s ambition to build a hyper-local work and skills system that reflects the borough’s unique needs.
Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP)
The LSIP is a key tool for aligning education with employer needs. In Bury, businesses identified the following top training priorities:
- Basic functional skills (32.2%)
- Sales and business development (26%)
- Leadership and management (24%)
- ICT and digital marketing skills (21–24%)
- Customer service (21.9%)
These insights are shaping how Bury delivers training and education to meet current and future demand.
Planning for future growth
Bury’s strategy is also forward-looking. It considers:
- Inward investment and new developments like Northern Gateway
- Transport improvements that make commuting easier
- The need for a flexible, responsive education system that can adapt to new industries and technologies
Integration with local policy
The strategy is deeply connected to other local plans, including:
- LET’S do it! Strategy – the overarching community vision
- Bury Economic Strategy – focused on sustainable and inclusive growth
- Education, Transport, Housing, and Cultural Strategies – all working together to make Bury a great place to live and work
In summary
Bury is using its place within Greater Manchester to:
- Shape local services through devolved powers
- Align education with business needs
- Create inclusive opportunities for all residents
- Build a thriving, resilient economy
This sets the stage for the strategy’s three main objectives, which are designed to turn these ambitions into action.