A degree with no debt that could lead to a £60,000-a-year job. What's not to like? That's Andy Burnham's pitch to the thousands of young people in Greater Manchester who don't want to go to university.
Almost two-thirds of teenagers in the city-region leave school without GCSEs in English, maths, science, humanities and a language.
But rather than pushing them to study the subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) and pursue the path to university, the mayor wants to create an alternative. READ MORE: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community The Manchester Baccalaureate (MBacc) would offer a route into the creative and digital sectors as well as health, social care and construction jobs.
English and maths would still be a requirement, but so would computer science or ICT. Other options would include engineering, creative subjects such as art, drama and music, and the sciences.