Businesses are being encouraged to complete a new survey to help shape future skills, training and employment opportunities across Trafford.
The work will support major developments including Therme Manchester, set to be the UK’s largest indoor attraction, and the continued growth of Trafford City.
A new Labour Market and Skills Assessment will help partners identify need, shape practical skills solutions and create clearer routes for local people into future jobs.
Businesses across Trafford are being invited to help shape the future workforce needed to support one of Greater Manchester’s most significant regeneration and employment opportunities.
As plans continue to progress for Therme Manchester and the growth of Trafford City, partners from across education, skills, business and local government are working together to understand future workforce needs and ensure local people are well placed to benefit from the jobs and careers being created.
Therme Manchester alone is forecast to create around 1,200 jobs across 47 different disciplines when it opens in 2028, creating opportunities across hospitality, leisure, wellness, operations, customer experience, facilities management, digital technology and a range of specialist roles.
Alongside developments including Trafford Waters, new leisure and visitor attractions, and continued investment across Trafford City’s wider business and visitor economy.
A survey, commissioned by Trafford Council, Trafford & Stockport College Group, Therme Manchester, The Growth Company and the University of Salford will ask businesses in the borough of Trafford about their current and future skills and recruitment needs, as well as anticipated future demand from existing employers and new developments across Trafford City.
Partners will use the evidence to inform future curriculum planning, skills programmes, investment and collaborative activity, with the ambition of ensuring that Trafford City’s economic growth translates into sustainable employment, progression and opportunity for local communities.
This will form part of a shared approach to ensuring skills provision keeps pace with one of Greater Manchester’s most significant growth locations.
At the heart of the initiative is a shared ambition to help local people, especially young people, take advantage of the jobs and opportunities being created as Trafford City continues to grow.
Cllr Tom Ross, Leader of Trafford Council, said: “This work ties in with our Council priority to foster a thriving economy here. By identifying the skills and workforce requirements needed to support Trafford City and the wider borough’s continued expansion, the research will help ensure that local people, businesses and communities are well positioned to benefit from the area’s long-term investment and regeneration programme. The survey will reveal what skills are needed by growing businesses in our area so that courses run by colleges and training providers mirror those needs – and local people are equipped to get meaningful jobs with great prospects, close to where they live.”
James Scott, CEO of Trafford & Stockport College Group, said, “This research is an important opportunity to make sure that skills provision keeps pace with Trafford’s ambitious plans for growth. By working directly with employers to understand the jobs and skills they will need in the years ahead, we can ensure our curriculum and training pathways are responsive, relevant and focused on real opportunities.
“For Trafford & Stockport College Group, this is ultimately about connecting local people with the opportunities being created on their doorstep, while giving businesses access to the skilled workforce they need to grow and succeed.”
Alison Gray, Chief People Officer at Therme Group, said: “Therme Manchester will connect major inward investment to the city and region with considerable long-term benefits for local people. That means thinking about skills and employment well before we open our doors. We will create roles across a remarkably broad range of disciplines, from hospitality food & beverage, events and wellbeing to engineering, facilities management, technology, and business services. There will be an opportunity for everyone to find their place in Therme. By working with local partners, we will help build the skills that will enable local people to access these opportunities and support the area’s growth for many years.”
The work reflects a wider commitment to building a responsive local workforce by aligning economic growth and employer demand with career opportunities across Trafford.
Additional quotes from Partners and Supporters:
Paul Ward, Director, Skills and Regional Engagement, The University of Salford
“The University of Salford is delighted to support the Trafford City Growth and Skills Partnership. Trafford City represents a major opportunity to connect economic growth and regeneration with education, skills and high-quality employment. By bringing together employers, further and higher education providers and civic partners, we can create clearer pathways from education into employment and higher-level skills, while ensuring that local people are equipped to benefit from the new jobs and careers being created across Trafford City and the wider area.”
Subrahmaniam Krishnan-Harihara, Director of Business Policy, Greater Manchester Chamber.
“Understanding how the labour market is evolving is central to the work of the Greater Manchester Local Skills Improvement Plan. This research aligns closely with the LSIP’s focus on ensuring that skills provision keeps pace with the changing needs of businesses and the wider economy.”
“Major developments such as TraffordCity demonstrate why it is important to continually assess emerging labour-market requirements. With its significant focus on retail, leisure, hospitality and wellness, TraffordCity has the potential to make a substantial contribution to the local economy, while also creating new employment opportunities. Understanding changing the profile of skills that businesses will need helps ensure that employers, policy makers and training providers are better placed to anticipate future demand.”
Justin Bentham, Director of Place at The Growth Company
“Understanding the needs is vital to meeting them, this partnership is about putting down a strong foundation in order to help TraffordCity and the surrounding areas now and well into the future.
“The Growth Company is looking forward to working with Trafford Council and the other partners to help deliver real impacts and outcomes for local residents. It’s a first step to ensure we’re fuelling growth and expanding the opportunities available in the city-region.”
Simon Layton, Centre Director, Trafford Centre
“TraffordCity’s continued growth presents a huge opportunity to create jobs, develop talent and strengthen the local economy. As a major employer and long-standing partner within the area, Trafford Centre is pleased to support this research, which will provide valuable insight into the skills and workforce needs of both existing businesses and future developments. The findings will help ensure local people are well placed to benefit from the thousands of opportunities that investment and regeneration will bring in the years ahead.”