GRAHAM has brought its Beacon Programme to Manchester, underlining a commitment to inclusive opportunity, skills development and early engagement with young people.

The Beacon Programme is a structured employability and work experience scheme tailored to neurodivergent and Special Educational Needs (SEN) students as they begin to consider future careers. Working with local authorities, education providers and community groups, it offers real-world workplace exposure, builds confidence and helps participants identify personal strengths.

In Manchester, the programme is being delivered with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and delivery partners Konnect Radio and The Message Trust, creating a multi-layered experience that pairs construction industry insight with creativity and self-expression.

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Eleven Year 10 and Year 11 neurodivergent students from six Manchester schools are taking part. Their on-site placement centred on GRAHAM's Boddingtons project — a £110m regeneration of the former Boddingtons Brewery site that will provide 505 new homes for Latimer by Clarion Housing Group. Students received a project overview, completed a health and safety induction and joined a guided tour, gaining first-hand understanding of how a major build is delivered. They explored everything from cutting-edge drone technology to practical brickwork sessions led by supply chain partner Kinlan Brickwork, and took the opportunity to ask GRAHAM team members about careers, skills and routes into construction.

Alongside the site experience, students spent time at Konnect Radio. Swapping hard hats for headsets, they toured professional studios, learned how programmes are made and collaborated to plan, script and record their own pilot shows.

The creative element continued at The Message Trust's Tribe Academy, where students developed songwriting, beat-making, performance and recording skills. Working together, they produced two original tracks that capture themes of resilience, teamwork and positive self-belief.

Designed to go beyond conventional work placements, the Beacon Programme seeks to challenge perceptions, spotlight SEN talent and create meaningful, lasting experiences that extend well beyond the scheme itself.

This introductory phase marks the start of the students' Beacon journey.