Bruntwood SciTech partners with Agent Academy to accelerate talent in Greater Manchester

The UK’s leading property provider to the science and tech sector, Bruntwood SciTech, has partnered with North West-based social enterprise, Agent Academy, in a unique collaboration that will connect talent with opportunities in Greater Manchester, and create a pathway that bridges the gap currently facing job seekers and employers.

This innovative partnership will open the doors of some of the UK’s leading businesses to young people looking to secure employment in the digital, tech and creative industries.

As the UK’s fastest-growing region and the leading tech location outside of London, Greater Manchester has firmly established itself as a hotspot for both top-quality talent and high-quality opportunities. However, the city has been no exception to the pressure of demand for highly-skilled, specialist talent needed by the sector.

The partnership with Agent Academy will create a direct pathway that connects talent with opportunities, and employers in the region with future employees that will enable their businesses to flourish.

The collaboration comes after Bruntwood SciTech, which is a 50:50 joint venture between Bruntwood and Legal & General, announced plans for the third phase of its Circle Square tech and digital cluster in Greater Manchester, located in the heart of the city’s innovation district. Following the increased demand for workspace from leading science and technology companies looking to invest in Manchester, Circle Square provides workspaces and bespoke programmes of business support, helping creative, digital and technology businesses flourish, scale, and grow.

In a bid to further its ability to support customer growth, Bruntwood SciTech teamed up with the award-winning Agent Academy, which leads the way in delivering industry-designed training to help young people start and develop careers in the creative and digital industry.  As a result of this ground-breaking partnership, local young people, aged 18-30, will learn from industry experts and connect directly to opportunities with businesses located inside Manchester’s Circle Square, where Agent Academy are also based.

The partnership will be introduced exclusively to businesses positioned in Bruntwood SciTech’s Circle Square campus, with a view to expanding across other campuses throughout the country.

Deb Hetherington, Head of Innovation at Bruntwood SciTech, said:

“We know that all issues in business ultimately come back to talent. Manchester is one of the best places for that talent to be sourced and grown, and this partnership with Agent Academy will allow us to find new ways of connecting the right local talent to businesses in Greater Manchester. This will fuel the vibrancy and future growth of our incredible places and spaces.

“Bruntwood SciTech is committed to supporting the needs of businesses, regardless of their size. We recognise the need to help our customers identify the talent and skills they need to grow.

“By partnering with Agent Academy, who are also one of our customers at Circle Square, we’re creating a programme that enables businesses in Greater Manchester to grow, and we can simultaneously welcome more young talent to join the industry in Manchester which alone has so many assets to offer.”

Agent Academy is committed to upskilling and nurturing the next generation of talent, offering people from all backgrounds the opportunity to develop their skills, as well as gearing them with the connections and experience they need to be successful in industry.

Zoe Wallace, Director at Agent Academy, said:

“Since 2014, we’ve been working to bring solutions to complex skills and challenges. We know that with innovation and progression comes a need to rapidly develop future talent for business. The people we work with have that talent, but what’s missing is an understanding of how to apply their skills in industry, in part due to a lack of awareness of the vast opportunities that exist, and the confidence to believe that there is a place for them. Industry can often feel like a closed door.

“For employers, the challenge comes from a difficulty attracting the right talent to support growth, often due to a lack of understanding of what jobseekers are looking for and reaching them in a different way.

“By working with Agent Academy, industry can attract diverse and untapped talent, and future talent can get their foot on the ladder, unlocking high-value careers.

“This partnership between Bruntwood SciTech and Agent Academy offers a direct solution to these issues by creating a pathway between the two, opening the doors to industry for talent and increasing growth potential for businesses.”

Businesses and young people who want to learn more about opportunities with Agent Academy can get in touch by visiting www.agentacademy.org.uk.