Celebrating ten years of the University of Salford and Morson Group working in partnership

The University of Salford’s Vice Chancellor Nic Beech was joined by Executive Chairman of Salford-based Morson Group Ged Mason OBE HonBDA as well as Mayor of Salford Paul Dennett, to mark a decade of working together to help Salford’s young people.

 

Hosted by journalist, broadcaster and Chancellor of the University, Lucy Meacock, the celebration was held at the University’s brand-new Greater Manchester Institute of Technology (GMIoT) building and the Morson Maker Space within the Science Engineering & Environment (SEE) building on the Peel Park Campus. Entitled ‘Powering Progress in Salford’, the event brought together students past and present, including scholars supported by Morson’s Gerry Mason Scholarship programme, along with local education leaders from all key stages, and shone a spotlight on the value of place-based collaboration and support for local talent pathways.

 

The partnership between Morson Group and the University of Salford has been instrumental in developing talent pathways to drive future skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) in Salford and across the North West Region. The Morson STEM Foundation, has generously supported a variety of opportunities with the University aimed at widening participation in STEM and boosting social mobility by through education and training.  This includes;

 

Morson is also the main sponsor of the Maker Space at the University of Salford; a state-of-the-art facility for students to explore new ideas, innovate, and gain hands-on experience. This enables students from all disciplines to collaborate and access the kind of technology and equipment they might use in industry, allowing them to develop valuable practical skills in digital fabrication - from 3D printing, through to CAD design and laser cutting.

Launched by the Mason family in 2015 and further supported by Morson Group, the Gerry Mason Engineering Scholarship programme is named after Morson Group’s late founder. It has so far enabled more than 70 students to study STEM disciplines at Salford, supporting them with funding, career opportunities and skills development programmes, and setting them on a path to rewarding careers. Two current scholars were joined by a former scholar who now works for Morson and young people from IntoUniversity and Salford Youth Zone for a panel discussion hosted by Lucy Meacock, discussing pathways for the next generation of talent.

 

Previous Morson Scholar James Kelly now has a successful career. He said: “Receiving the Gerry Mason Scholarship was a turning point in my life. Through the programme, I gained invaluable industry experience with Morson, which led to the start of my career and shaped the path I’m on today.

“Ten years on, I’ve progressed to a Senior Contract and Project Manager within Morson and recently completed a Master’s in Construction Law. These achievements stem directly from the opportunities and support the scholarship provided, and I’ll always be grateful not only for the impact on my career, but for the confidence and belief it gave me along the way.”

 

The event reflected on the importance of the Mason family, and Morson Group’s contribution to the University and Salford as a whole. It included an informal conversation hosted by Lucy Meacock, Chancellor of the University, alongside Professor Nic Beech, University of Salford Vice-Chancellor; Ged Mason OBE, CEO of Morson; Krysia Kubinski-Johnson, Assistant Head of Operations and Programme Delivery at IntoUniversity; Adam Farricker, CEO of Empower and Alison Byrne, Headteacher of St Patrick’s RC High School in Salford, which Ged Mason attended as a child. Focusing on the importance of widening access and ensuring equality of opportunity for all, the group discussed the long-term benefits of place-based partnership and why it matters.

 

Later in the day, a panel made up of students and young people with an interest in STEM pathways discussed the future of skills and their thoughts on how businesses can help the next generations of talent considering the recent changes to the industry. Salford Mayor Paul Dennett also spoke, looking to the future, and how the partnership aligns with Child Friendly City goals and 100 years of Salford.

 

Professor Nic Beech said: “Marking this decade long partnership with the Mason family and Morson Group is a tremendous honour and pleasure. Working together we have created something genuinely unique which has brought huge benefits to our students and graduates and to the city as a whole.

 

“With Ged and the Mason family being from Salford, and with Morson being founded in their home in Eccles, they are incredibly passionate about our city, working tirelessly to help create a better future through education and skills development.

 

“This partnership embodies everything that is so special about Salford – passion, determination, generosity and a clear commitment to championing local talent. It is a wonderful example of our commitment to enabling our students to flourish and contribute to society, and we look forward to it continuing into the next decade.”

 

Ged Mason, Group CEO at Morson commented: “It is essential for the future of key growth sectors that we invest in tomorrow’s talent today, which has been the key goal of the Morson STEM Foundation and our partnership with the University of Salford for the past 10 years.

 

“As we step into another decade of working with the University to shape, support and encourage STEM talent, I am enormously proud of what’s been achieved, but also very focused on what lies ahead. This is a time of change and challenges, so partnerships like the one between Morson and the University of Salford will be critical in both delivering opportunity and nurturing future-ready skills.”

 

Dr Maria Stukoff, Director of the Morson Maker Space at the University of Salford, said: "Celebrating ten years of the Morson Maker Space is a celebration of people, curiosity and possibility. What started as a workshop where ideas could quickly become reality has grown into a vibrant community, a destination for experimentation, learning and collaboration, with students at its heart. Over the past decade thousands of learners have gained practical skills, confidence, and a creative, problem‑solving mindset to succeed. In the next ten years we will open our doors even wider, amplify diverse voices and turn even bolder ideas into accessible innovation.”