Mayor of Salford Visits Pendleton College

Opportunities for real insight into the kinds of careers that our A-level students might pursue after their time at college are a crucial part of learning at Salford City College Group. The Mayor of Salford visited our Pendleton Sixth Form College site this morning to give a fascinating and insightful talk into the role of the mayor in Salford and cities like it across the country as part of this drive for added insight. The students were able to hear from someone with a unique depth of experience in the very area that many of our students are interested in pursuing in their careers--government and municipal administration. At the same time, the Mayor was able to share his personal experiences and perspectives on his role, how he has helped shape change in the city, and how they might be able to do the same in the future.

Paul Dennett, who has been Mayor of Salford since 2016, was reelected in 2021 and was previously a local councillor in the Langworthy area. Dennett has always maintained an intimate connection to the community, being part of various trade unions and local initiatives. At Salford City College, one of our main goals is improving the lives and outlooks of young people in Salford and across Greater Manchester. As Mayor, Dennett has put huge emphasis on having everyone join the conversation on how we can build a brighter, better future for all, including the voices of young people in these discussions. Skills and education are one of Dennett's "Great Eight" priorities, focusing work on providing opportunities and tackling the challenges that Salford faces.

The students were able to share their own perspectives and ask their own questions of the Mayor during his talk. As we build the next generation of politicians and change-drivers, opportunities like this are invaluable in enriching the learning experiences of our students. Not only that, but we hope also that our students can make their voices heard in the changes and directions they would like to see in their city and the broader community.

We want to extend a huge thank you to the Mayor, and to our students for their enthusiastic involvement in the morning's discussions.