Salford Higher Technical Skills

BBC building skyline at MediaCity

Our Higher Technical Skills courses are designed to give you hands-on, vocational training, fast. These Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND) qualifications provide a concentrated experience over one or two years, so you’re prepared for immediate employment upon finishing your studies and can hit the ground running.

Greater Manchester Institute of Technology

GMIoT black and white logo

The world is changing and technical skills are in demand. The Greater Manchester Institute of Technology (GMIoT) offers a range of Higher Technical Skills courses designed to fast track learners into jobs within the construction, engineering, health, and digital sectors – all areas of growth for Greater Manchester.

At Salford we are working in partnership with a variety of colleges and employer partners in the city region to develop courses that ensure our learners have real world experience and prepare them for the jobs of the future.

When studying a Higher Technical Skills course with us, you will have regular contact with industry and employers through visits, guest speakers, live briefs and placement opportunities, and you will learn in state-of-the-art facilities. 

You will be based at University of Salford, and also part of the GMIoT community of learners across the network. 

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Learn by doing

By choosing one of these programmes, you are preparing for your future. The courses are hands-on and practical, and you will be supported throughout your studies.

Each of our courses has been written and advised upon by a variety of senior industry professionals to ensure that we’re developing courses that are up-to-date and relevant to today’s challenges. Employers in all sectors are desperate for competent, technical, digitally savvy people to join their teams. 

The flexible learning options available mean that you can choose to study either full or part-time. 

On a Salford Higher Technical Skills course, you will learn by doing – making sure that you develop the job-ready skills needed to succeed. The course will teach you the technical elements of your chosen field and provide you with the practical skills required to satisfy industry and employer needs.

Our courses

Construction

Survey. Plan. Construct.

This one-year course will train you in both traditional and modern methods of construction and build your knowledge about the practicalities and legalities involved in built environment projects.

You will also be able to specialise in one of four discipline-focused modules in order to suit your personal preferences – readying you for a fulfilling career in the built environment sector.

HNC Construction

Creative and Digital Media

Film. Edit. Export.

This two-year course trains you to become a digital media creative, highly skilled in all the tools necessary for developing and distributing digital content across broadcast media and streaming platforms within business, government, and the charity sector. 

The course focuses on the software and hardware you need to master in order to become an essential team member in this fast-growing field.

HND Creative and Digital Media

Digital Communication and Graphic Design for Business

Sketch. Design. Animate.

This course will provide you with the opportunity to develop the technical, contextual, and ethical requirements needed to work across a broad range of digital creative employment opportunities.

You will develop an understanding of digital design and customer interactions, by utilising motion and interactive platforms, and learn how to strategically deploy them - creating a successful user experience.

Digital Communication and Graphic Design for Business

Digital Software and Technology (from September 2024)

Script. Test. Launch.

This HND course will allow you to gain a broad set of skills that are suitable for technical job roles. You will learn how to implement software solutions that enable businesses to develop new products and services and increase productivity using a selection of digital technologies.

You will also gain an understanding of computing, data science, networking, security and business systems and operations.

More information coming soon!

Esports Business Management

Host. Broadcast. Level Up.

Through this course you’ll develop the creative and digital skills needed in the Esports industry and have the ability to demonstrate these in live environments. You will learn about the ethics and integrity that sustain the industry, with a view to ensuring sustainable practices for Esports communities.

The course will also allow you develop your broadcasting technical skills in a practical and safe environment.

HND Esports Business Management

Media and Network Systems (from September 2024)

Code. Network. Stream.

This two-year course will equip you with the relevant skills you need, ready to fulfil in-demand technical jobs within the media and broadcast industries. You will explore media creation and distribution, computer networking, IP technologies, and modern digital media streaming using our advanced media and computing suites.

You will also learn about the detailed technical aspects that impact the viewer experience and associated relevant industry standards.

HND Media and Network Systems

Product Design Engineering (from September 2024)

Imagine. Design. Engineer.

This course has been designed to give you the knowledge, skills, and techniques that all product designers require, irrespective of future specialism, to achieve success in a wide range of product design engineering-focused careers at incorporate engineer level.

You will build knowledge of production processes, learn to recognise and overcome challenge constraints, and learn to identify, evaluate and mitigate risks associated with a particular project or activity.

HND Product Design Engineering

Social Media Content Creation

Create. Share. Influence.

This two-year course trains you to become a social media creator – highly skilled in producing, delivering, distributing, and measuring the success of content across a range of social media channels and platforms.

You will gain detailed knowledge of the social media industry and learn how to confidently shoot content using the latest market-relevant camera and sound recording equipment.

HND Social Media Content Creation 

What to expect?

Course breakdown

40%

Practical projects

30%

Lectures and seminars

30%

Live industry briefs

Each course includes a mix of six key elements: practical demonstration, hands-on skill training, realistic delivery, individual work, industry projects, and teamwork.

The course will be delivered by our academic teams, supported substantially by established industry contacts, who will help to inform the content and direction of the curriculum, placement, project, and employment opportunities.

You will develop your knowledge and skills using a blend of theoretical, collaborative, and practical methods. These include:

  • Studio projects, both individual and group-based
  • Lectures and tutorials
  • Directed study
  • One-to-one tutorials (by appointment)
  • Guest lectures and site visits

Why study with us?

There are countless reasons why our university could be the place for you, including our unbeatable links to industry, state-of-the-art facilities and award-winning academics.

But the thing we love most about Salford is the community our staff and students have built together, to make our university a warm and welcoming place to live and study.

You will benefit from being part of both the University of Salford, and the GM IoT network of learners - based here at Salford but with access to support and activities within the GM IoT network. 

How to apply

We want to make sure that applying to study a Higher Technical Skills course at the University of Salford is as straightforward as possible, so we’ve put together some useful information to help you with your application. You can find the individual entry requirements on the relevant course page. 

If you are an employer and would like to find out more about our Higher Technical Skills courses and how they can be used to develop, retain and up-skill your staff, please get in touch with us at highertechnicalskills@salford.ac.uk.

Fees and funding

askUS support with student reviewing documents

Fees for our Higher Technical Skills courses vary and you can find more information about the cost for your chosen course on the individual course webpage. We know that making the decision to study at university can be a big financial commitment, but there’s lots of financial support available to help with the cost of your studies.

Events

Open Day events are the best way to discover more about studying at University of Salford. You’ll have the chance to get help with finance, explore our campus, and learn more about our courses. Our next Open Day takes place on Saturday 17 June.

Contact

Get in touch

Have any questions? Or want to find out more? Please get in touch and we'll be happy to help!