A MAN who has helped thousands of unemployed people find work has been recognised for his achievement.

Steve Grant, from Prestwich, was awarded an MBE in the New Year honours list for his services to unemployed people in Greater Manchester. He devised and established an unemployment and skills centre at the university, The Works, which has supported more than 3,000, mostly unemployed, people.

The centre provides training and support to enable people to access temporary and permanent jobs with the university and other employers including the Royal Mail, Greater Manchester Police, Bruntwood and Amazon.

Mr Grant said: “I’m really passionate about this agenda. I had to fill in a form saying I would accept the award.

“I spent about 24 hours thinking about it first and the two deciding factors were that it would raise more awareness of this issue and secondly that it would make my mum proud.

“And it did, I told her just before the list was released and she was delighted.

“It’s the reason I get out of bed, knowing I can make an impact on these people’s lives.

“There are thousands of hugely talented but unemployed women and men of all ages in Greater Manchester, and it is a privilege to have the opportunity to work with them to help fulfil their potential.”

As one of the only initiatives of its kind in higher education – and one of only a handful in any sector – The Works has been recognised by several prestigious accolades, including a Guardian Sustainable Business Award and a Times Higher Education Award.

Mr Grant established and chaired the Central Manchester Employers Alliance, has held a quasi-judicial role on the Committee for the Employment of Disabled People, and was appointed as a National Apprenticeships Ambassador in recognition of his leadership in the sector.

He also volunteers his time to provide one-to-one mentoring support to unemployed people, and is a trustee of a charity concerned with providing support to refugees.

In support of the University’s Campus Masterplan, Mr Grant has devised and leads the university of Manchester Construction Academy, working with Laing O’Rourke, Sir Robert McAlpine, Balfour Beatty and the Manchester Growth Company.

The academy exists to ensure that unemployed people have the skills and vocational qualifications required to access the job and apprenticeship opportunities in construction, which the development of the campus provides.