Our next outpost for Google’s innovative Digital Garage has arrived in Manchester. It’s part of an initiative announced by Google in November 2017 to help 100,000 people in the UK find a job or grow in their career by offering free digital skills in more than 200 towns and cities.

The services offered are for everyone, from people who don’t have confidence with digital skills, to professionals wishing to enhance their careers with more advanced skills such as online marketing or even coding. Most importantly every service offered is free, and aims to unlock digital potential of all attendees, opening up a world of possibilities.

The vision was to create a welcoming environment that echoes Google’s inclusive message and as a result, the Google Digital Garage centres on a human level of service that’s all about face-to-face interaction.

There are over 40 hours of training available from getting online for the first time, through to learning how to code, and how to how to grow your business using social media. Most courses take place in the auditorium that seats around 40 people.

The environment is fully flexible and adaptable for different locations and store sizes. The modular framework features vibrant pegboard panels that create spaces to accommodate any combination of one-on-one conversations and small workshops. Transparent sliding screens replace traditional physical barriers and create a sense of privacy while retaining the store’s open atmosphere. On the pegboards brand content is mixed with large-scale graphics inspired by the store’s locality, ensuring the Garages feel relevant, approachable and fun.

The Manchester Digital Garage is the third location follows the successful launches in both Sheffield and Birmingham.