The University of Salford pledges £100k to support home grown talent

The University’s fund will launch in National Apprenticeship Week 2026 (9th-13th February) and will be available for employers to apply for immediately. The donation dials up the University’s commitment to supporting adult learners in Salford to get new training and to refresh their existing skills.

The University’s Apprenticeship teams are currently working with around over 500 employers across the NW and beyond, and recruit to 18 apprenticeship programmes, with the number growing all the time.

Paul Ward, Director of International and Regional Development at the University and lead for the Apprenticeship programmes at Salford said:

Over the past ten years the University of Salford has worked with around 3500 apprentices and played a big role in enriching the jobs and skills sector in Greater Manchester. 

We want to make apprenticeships more accessible and affordable to young people, and see significant value in upskilling, re-skilling and lifelong learning amongst those who are aged 25 and above. This pledge underlines our commitment as a University to maximising skills and employment opportunities for local people in Salford and Greater Manchester.” 

Cllr Teresa Pepper, Lead Member for Skills, Work and Business Support at Salford City Council, said:

This pledge is a powerful statement about what Salford stands for: a city that invests in its people and its potential. By supporting apprenticeships in the sectors that keep our communities thriving, this funding will open doors for residents of all ages and help small businesses build the skilled workforce they need to grow, and ensure Salford’s success is shared by everyone who calls it home.”

The funding will cover the full cost of an apprenticeship training programme up to the funding band maximum. The University will commit to pay for a specific apprenticeship throughout its term, until the person involved has completed the course.

The pledge comes weeks after the University and Salford City Council signed a Civic Agreement, which reinforced the two organisations’ commitment to working together in the pursuit of prosperity, wellbeing, opportunity, and long-term growth for the benefit of Salford and all its communities.

A good example of this is the recent launch of the Build Salford workforce strategy designed to maximise skills and employment opportunities for local residents through the construction investment planned for the city over the next five years. The construction apprenticeships offered by Salford City College and the University will be central to the delivery of the strategy.

Last week the University officially opened its new Greater Manchester Institute of Technical Skills (GMIoT) building on its Peel Park campus. This will be a hub where programmes, including apprenticeships, will be run in partnership with the GMIoT network of FE Colleges and employers around the city region.

The Pledge also coincides with Salford’s centenary as a city and is part of the wealth of special initiatives and projects planned to mark this special anniversary for the people of Salford.

The funds will support small businesses operating in Salford, who do not pay into the apprenticeship levy, and therefore currently must co-invest with the government to fund apprenticeship training for employees. Businesses will need to be in either of the following sectors to apply and be looking to support an apprentice in these areas also: Construction and the Built Environment, Engineering and Manufacturing, Health and Science.

How to apply:  
Businesses interested in applying for the University of Salford fund visit Transfer fund details for University of Salford (KGNV49) or email A.K.Lochman@salford.ac.uk.