Reflections from Zack Grimes of ZGMC and chair of the GMLPN Business Development Exchange Connection over competition: why collaboration is the engine of Greater Manchester’s skills system The post-16 education and skills sector has rarely faced a landscape this fast-moving or this competitive. Providers are constantly balancing shifting policy, evolving employer demands, funding pressures, and…
Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network (GMLPN) is delighted to welcome International Business College Manchester Limited (IBCM) as a new member of the network. Based in the heart of Piccadilly, Manchester, IBCM is an international college dedicated to equipping learners with the knowledge, skills and experience needed to succeed in high-demand industries. The College provides a…
The GM Skills Awards 2026 took place on Thursday 2 July at The Sheridan Suite, Manchester, bringing together apprentices, learners, employers, training providers and partners to celebrate outstanding achievements across the Further Education and Skills sector, hosted by Chris Maguire. The event highlighted the strength of collaboration across Greater Manchester, showcasing the valued partnership between the Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network (GMLPN)…
Arriving at Wigan and Leigh College back in 2015, GMLPN may not have been new to the college but it was definitely new to me. At that time competition trumped collaboration, devo-Manc was still being shaped and the skills landscape was going through its usual turbulence with the added spice of area review. I thought…
The Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network (GMLPN) is pleased to announce that, as of 27 May 2026, the organisation has officially transitioned to a Community Interest Company (CIC). This significant milestone reflects GMLPN’s continued commitment to operating as a not-for-profit organisation focused on supporting its members and strengthening vocational and technical education across Greater Manchester….
Melanie Nicholson- Executive Team Member of LTE Group & Managing Director of Total People & MOL When GMLPN was founded in 2001, the LTE Group looked very different. Today, as a leading UK provider of post-16 education and training, it includes FE (The Manchester College), apprenticeships (Total People), HE (UCEN Manchester), professional training (MOL), and…
After spending 25 years working in further education, I made the decision in December 1999 to establish my own education and training consultancy, Norman Mackie Associates Ltd. My passion for further education had been firmly shaped during my time as the coordinator of the MSC East Manchester Accredited Training Centre (ATC), a government‑funded YTS staff…
We are delighted to welcome Pink Academy as a new member of the Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network (GMLPN). Based in Walkden, Greater Manchester, Pink Academy is a specialist training provider delivering high-quality vocational education in Nails, Beauty, Employability, and Functional Skills. The organisation supports both young people and adults aged 16+, including NEET learners,…
Why our organisation first joined GMLPN Bolton College joined the Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network to be an active partner in a place‑based, collaborative approach to skills development. From the outset, we recognised the importance of working collectively to support learners, employers, and communities across Greater Manchester, and we saw GMLPN as a critical forum…
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