TRAINING courses created to support and upskill blue light service workers are now available in Greater Manchester as part of the city-region’s three-year Skills for Growth programme.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has awarded funding to Seetec Outsource to create The Blue Light Development Academy. GMCA has awarded nearly £2m to Seetec to establish the academy, with the training programme fully-funded through the European Social Fund (ESF).
The Blue Light Development Academy aims to support blue light staff with career development including leadership skills. There is also a strong focus on personal well-being, with programmes available on building resilience and for managers to understand health needs of staff.
Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, Greater Manchester’s Lead for Education, Work, Skills, Apprenticeships and Digital, said:
“We are proud of Greater Manchester’s pioneering Skills for Growth programme and all of its achievements, with thousands of employees supported in building their careers. However, we know there are still many industries in the city-region who could benefit from fully-funded training.
“The newly launched Blue Light Academy recognises the demanding work of emergency services staff and includes specially adapted courses on how they can manage their well-being during pressured situations. This will not only be of benefit to the workforce, but also our residents who will receive a better service as a result.”
Seetec has been granted nearly £2 million to launch The Blue Light Development Academy. The training programme has been developed in collaboration with North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) with plans to expand to support to other blue light services in the future. The training, made up of workshops and e-learning, aims to help learners with leadership skills, coaching and management.
