Rayner Stephens Hosts Andy Burnham for Launch of Ground-breaking Beeline Careers Tool

Rayner Stephens High School was honoured to host the launch of Beeline today, an innovative digital tool designed to help young people across Greater Manchester plan their future careers. The event, led by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, marks a significant milestone in the region’s efforts to prepare students for high-demand jobs in growing sectors.

Named after the iconic worker bee – a symbol of Greater Manchester's spirit – Beeline is the first tool of its kind to provide young people with real-time information about local job opportunities, including salary details. It connects students to pathways aligned with the seven MBacc (Greater Manchester Baccalaureate) gateways, each linked to sectors thriving in the region.

Visiting the school in Dukinfield, Andy Burnham gave students and teachers at Rayner Stephens High School, alongside apprentices from the engineering and construction company Murphy Group, the opportunity to try out the Beeline tool first-hand. The tool offers a comprehensive look at careers, enabling users to explore the relevant courses and qualifications available at ages 14, 16, and 18 in Greater Manchester.

Students were among the first to test the tool live during the event, providing valuable feedback on its usability and features. Their active participation highlighted Beeline’s effectiveness in helping young people explore career paths in Greater Manchester’s growing sectors, as they navigated different job roles, viewed live listings, and examined salary details through the tool’s interface.

Rayner Stephens High School students shared their enthusiasm with one student commenting “This platform is the perfect way for me to do research on my future career, I can see exactly what I need to focus on to get there and the salary I’ll receive. It’s really made me think about my future and what I can achieve.”

Speaking at the launch, Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, praised the MBacc and Beeline for giving young people practical tools to plan for their futures. He highlighted how the tool, developed using local labour market data, supports Greater Manchester’s vision of equipping students for the jobs of tomorrow without necessarily taking the university route.

Jessica Heap, Associate Assistant Head Teacher for Personal Development has worked closely with GMCA on the creation of the MBacc said “The Manchester Baccalaureate (MBacc) is an innovative educational initiative designed to transform learning for young people in Greater Manchester.

I am incredibly proud that Rayner Stephens High School has been able to play a key role in the development and support of the Manchester Baccalaureate. At Rayner Stephens we have a commitment to ensuring students gain the skills and knowledge needed for modern careers. I am proud of our involvement in helping to shape a brighter future for education in Greater Manchester and the students of Stamford Park Trust.”

The Greater Manchester Baccalaureate (MBacc) is a pioneering initiative aimed at transforming technical education across the city-region. Developed with input from employers and using local labour market data, the MBacc helps prepare students for the high-demand jobs of the future, providing alternative pathways for those not pursuing traditional academic routes. As one of the schools actively supporting the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate, Rayner Stephens has long been a leader in advocating for technical and vocational education. The school’s collaboration with Beeline further solidifies its position as a champion of practical career pathways that prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow.

Head of School Martin Davies added “We are absolutely delighted as a school to be involved at the launch stage of the Manchester Baccalaureate initiative that is being rolled out across Greater Manchester. It is even more symbolic and exciting for us to have the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham launch the MBACC and the online platform Beeline from Rayner Stephens High School as it was Andy Burnham who officially opened the school as Rayner Stephens 7 years ago this month.

The school sets its ambitions and aspirations around preparing our students for the future with the aim of supporting our young people onto a pathway to University or an 'equivalent alternative' but it is often the 'equivalent alternative' route that has lacked clarity and opportunity. The launch of the MBACC and the Beeline platform will provide a real, clear route and exposure to young people across Greater Manchester of the exciting and aspirational careers that are available across the borough and help provide that 'real alternative' route that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the University route.

We are certain that students from Rayner Stephens High School and many other schools throughout Greater Manchester will benefit greatly from this innovative initiative and we are looking forward to seeing our students forge a successful career pathway in the future with the support of the MBACC and the Beeline platform.”

Rayner Stephens High School is proud to have played a key role in launching this transformative resource, ensuring that young people across Greater Manchester are better equipped to navigate their future career paths.