The Raspberry Pi Foundation has teamed up with the Greater Manchester Business Board and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to develop a new qualification that will equip young people with the digital skills required for a career in the technology industry. This Applied Computing qualification will be offered to secondary school pupils through the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate, which has been created to transform technical education across the region. The MBacc offers a clear pathway for young people from school to high-quality jobs in Greater Manchester’s growing economy.
The Applied Computing qualification is designed to give young people digital skills that can be applied in the workplace. It will be suitable for independent study and will align with the knowledge and skills appropriate to each stage of the MBacc. The Raspberry Pi Foundation is already renowned for its work in teaching young people about computing and how to create using digital technologies. Their mission is to enable young people to realise their full potential through the power of computing and digital technologies.
Lou Cordwell, Chair of the Greater Manchester Business Board, said that “working with the Raspberry Pi Foundation to deliver this unique applied computing qualification will give our region’s young people the skills and knowledge they need to access opportunities in our growing digital economy, making it more accessible to everyone”. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham added that the digital and technology sector is one of Greater Manchester’s biggest strengths and is rapidly growing. To sustain that growth, he added, there must be a clear pathway to a career in the sector for any young person who has the ambition.
Overall, this qualification offers an excellent opportunity for Greater Manchester to lead the way in technical education and to foster a skilled workforce to meet the needs of businesses both now and in the future. The partnership between the public and private sectors highlights the collaborative approach that has become one of the region’s distinctive strengths. The Raspberry Pi Certificate in Applied Computing will equip all young people in Manchester with the skills and confidence to pursue a career in tech, regardless of their formal education status.
