Summary
Manchester Digital's Switchboard service provides a single route for tech employers to advertise work experience, mentoring, placements, internships and apprenticeships, with Manchester Digital handling candidate matching and practical support. Nine employers have already signed up, including ElevAIte, hackajob, Nexer Group, Slalom, Canopius and Datum Datacentres.
The launch follows Prime Minister Andy Burnham's announcement to extend the region's MBacc pathway – which supports technical education for 14-19 year olds – across England, with a mandatory 45-day work placement. Katie Gallagher OBE, MD of Manchester Digital, said the service gives employers a practical way to open doors for early-career talent, noting that economic pressure and AI growth have made it harder for businesses to support early-career roles.
Manchester Digital is also urging tech companies bidding for public contracts to build meaningful employment opportunities into their offers now, as government procurement will increasingly weight social value. The organisation is focusing on smaller businesses, offering supervision plans and hands-on support for first-time placement providers.
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Common questions
- What is this article about?
- Manchester Digital has launched Switchboard, a new service connecting technology employers with candidates for work experience, mentoring, internships and apprenticeships. The platform addresses regional challenges, with one million young people currently not in education, employment or training – the highest figure in 12 years.
- When was this published?
- This article was published on 5 August 2026.
- Who published this article?
- This article was published by Prolific North.