Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership has unveiled a set of initiatives to shape the post-pandemic city region.
The organisation, which brings together the private and public sectors with the aim to support business growth, said its ‘vision’ - called 'building a greater Manchester, making a greater Britain' - provides a ‘blueprint’ for remodelling the city region’s economy to become more effective, greener and more resilient.
It sets out a number of proposals, including a platform - Innovate GM - to bring together the public and private sectors, educational institutions and specialist facilities to attract research and development funding.
Building on the Local Industrial Strategy announced in June 2019, the platform will target sectors identified in the report, such health, digital, clean technologies and advanced manufacturing and materials.
Mo Isap, co-chair of the Greater Manchester LEP, said: “We want to build on our heritage of innovation to drive economic growth and social change.
“To make the most of Greater Manchester’s global strengths in sectors like clean growth, digital, health innovation and advanced materials and manufacturing, we must ensure our people are equipped with the right skills.
“We also know that we can’t make our long-term vision a reality without the support of Greater Manchester’s business community.
“Strong partnerships between all sectors have been crucial to the prosperity of the city-region’s economy, and we must maintain and develop those partnerships if we are to make this vision a reality.”
The LEP also said the proposals, developed in partnership with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), include the creation of a system to help equip people with skills for jobs in the future, as well as encourage diversity in company leadership.
Elise Wilson, GMCA portfolio lead for economy and business, said: “We’re at a pivotal moment, with the pandemic providing an opportunity to build back better by setting a new course for Greater Manchester’s economy.
“Our plan sets out the first steps towards achieving an economic recovery that puts people first. We must build on our world-class strengths, become a digitally-enabled city-region and ensure the benefits of economic growth are felt by all.”
