HMG Paints Ltd. and Manchester Communication Academy have worked together to create a pioneering project to encourage the entrepreneurial ambitions of the students of Harpurhey, Manchester.

The project will see eight students from Manchester Communication Academy aged between 15 and 16 visit HMG Paints on a weekly basis to receive hands on experience of working within the coatings industry. The students will be given the opportunity to work closely with HMG employees, learning about the manufacturing process, sales, research and development, and marketing.

100 candidates from MCA applied for the project, before the number was narrowed down to 18 excellent students. These students were put through a rigorous selection process incorporating interviews and group tasks that were designed to gauge their business acumen. Eventually, the eight outstanding entrepreneurial candidates were selected for the scheme, which will begin in January 2014.

The aim of the partnership will not only be to develop eight talented individuals from the local area, but also lead to future career opportunities within the company, focussing on new technologies.

One of the eight selected students, Gagandeep Kaur, was thrilled to have been chosen for the project – “I’m really looking forward to a future with HMG, it will be a wonderful experience and something to enjoy and learn from. I really can’t wait to get started.

John Falder, managing director of HMG Paints and vice president of the British Coatings Federation (BCF), is particularly excited about what the future holds. “HMG Paints has a long history of developing its staff and also supporting our local schools and universities. This project is in keeping with the BCF’s training objectives as well as potentially unearthing a number of prodigiously entrepreneurial students for a future career at HMG and within the coatings industry”.

This partnership is a result of a long term relationship between the Academy and HMG Paints. In October, HMG supplied the school with 100 litres of coloured decorative emulsion paint for the Harpurhey and North Manchester Handmade Film Festival. The paint was used by Academy staff and students to create a colourful Manchester street scene that provided attendees with a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

The Principal of Manchester Communication Academy Lynne Heath believes that the current project and relationship should be valued by both students and staff. “This is the perfect example of how businesses and education can work together in a partnership to give students a real-life experience that benefits all involved.”