Can Andy Burnham’s Manchester Baccalaureate Be Scaled Nationally?

Two years ago I stood at the back of a conference room in Manchester Hall, coffee in hand, as Andy Burnham set out his plan to reshape technical education across Greater Manchester.

He had unveiled the Manchester Baccalaureate — the MBacc — the year before. That day, with slides and guest speakers, he explained how the scheme would create clearer vocational routes for young people. Now, as prime minister, Burnham has announced his intention to roll the idea out across England and reform the country’s technical education system.

At this stage many practical details remain to be confirmed. Ministers say the national version would give pupils the option to take more vocational courses and begin work experience from Year 10, but exactly how these choices will be implemented in classrooms and colleges across England is still being worked out.

What the MBacc Is — And Isn’t

The MBacc is a framework, not a new qualification. It is designed to provide young people with a clear, step-by-step route from school into technical and practical careers — a kind of flow chart mapping courses, practical experience and possible job outcomes. It is not another certificate like T-levels or the recently discussed V-levels.

At a July 2024 conference Burnham and other speakers contrasted the MBacc with the conventional academic route of GCSEs, A-levels and university. For pupils aiming at hands-on careers, the existing pathways can be confusing; the MBacc aims to simplify those choices and ensure students can combine classroom learning with meaningful workplace experience.

Seven Gateways, One Goal

The MBacc currently outlines routes into seven broad sectors: Construction and the Green Economy; Creative, Culture and Sport; Digital and Technology; Education and Early Years; Financial, Business and Professional Services; Health and Social Care; and Manufacturing and Engineering. These "gateways" are intentionally broad so they can map onto multiple local employer needs and existing technical qualifications.

So far the scheme is in its infancy. The Greater Manchester rollout covers 101 secondary schools and colleges — about 40% of providers in the area — and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority reports that 1,405 young people took part in workplace experiences in the programme’s second year. The MBacc’s ambitions are long-term: by 2030 it aims to guarantee every young person a clear route to good jobs, and by 2035 to ensure every young person has completed 45 days of work experience by their 19th birthday.

Can It Be Scaled?

There are good reasons to think the model could be expanded. The gateways overlap with national priorities already targeted by T-levels and other initiatives, and the framework can be adapted to local labour markets. Burnham has been explicit that a national rollout would be locally driven, working with councils, employers and schools to identify growth sectors and create routes into them.

But real challenges remain. Scaling a locally tailored framework across regions with very different economies risks leaving some young people behind — particularly in areas without a strong base of employers in the targeted sectors. Delivery relies on employer engagement, school capacity to offer vocational options, and adequate funding and training for teachers and providers.

Bottom line: The MBacc clarifies vocational pathways and links classroom learning to work, but its success nationally will depend on careful local adaptation, reliable employer partnerships, and long-term investment.

Only time will tell whether the MBacc, stretched from a city-region experiment to a national programme, can deliver the step-change Burnham promises. Its core appeal — clearer routes from school to good jobs — is compelling; the hard part will be turning that appeal into consistent, high-quality provision across every part of England.