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Greater Manchester Regeneration Skills Academy


Greater Manchester has mapped out its transport, housing, innovation, and net zero projects over the next 10 years into our Integrated Pipeline, as part of our commitment to create a healthy, safe, warm space for everyone to call home, develop our Bee Network as a transport system for a global city region, and create the conditions for people and businesses to succeed in Greater Manchester.

To deliver our ambitious regeneration plans, we need a strong talent pool – and we want those working in our city region to take the opportunities this regeneration will create.

To develop and retain the talent we’ll need, GMCA is launching Greater Manchester’s Regeneration Skills Academy, a cross-sector, real-world development programme for early-career regeneration practitioners.

Supported by Future of Greater Manchester (external website), the Academy offers a dynamic, solution-focussed development pathway for early-career practitioners to learn and to share best practice and knowledge across sectors.

Our Academy is also the next step in the evolution of our collective way of working – another purposeful move towards private and public sector collaboration and innovation to drive regional outcomes.

To develop and support early-careers regeneration practitioners so they can help deliver Greater Manchester’s ambitions for sustainable growth now and over time.

  • Real-world visits and cases help participants apply their growing knowledge of regeneration concepts, and time with senior speakers builds contacts and confidence
  • The nine-month schedule fosters trust and builds awareness in a safe but challenging learning environment
  • Site hosts can choose to simply showcase projects and/or use the cohort as fresh eyes for sticky issues or engagement practice
  • Regeneration Skills Academy bridges the professional development/network gap between secondary and college-level programmes like PLACED Academy, shorter-term learning programmes like Brainery, the new MBacc, internal graduate programmes and Future of GM’s Future Leaders programme

Participants will be drawn from councils, developers and consultancies. There is no degree requirement, but applicants must have at least 2 years in the sector with relevant experience, have the support of their line manager, submit an application, and commit to all sessions over a nine-month period.

Nominators will support their nominee and that person’s ‘buddy’ during peer-to-peer shadowing. If they’re not the nominee’s line manager, they will act as liaison/coordinator.

*Ask us for the Participant and Nominator User Journey for what to expect.

Learning outcomes include better awareness and resources on key topics such as:

  • Funding, finance and viability
  • Net-zero design
  • Affordable housing and retrofit
  • Partnerships and stakeholder engagement
  • Land assembly and legals
  • Mixed-use and place shaping considerations
  • Communication and Engagement
  • Development pathways generally
  • Light-touch team dynamics and leadership skills

Other benefits of the programme include connecting with senior regeneration leaders and being able to create a career-long network of peers.

The programme is nine months long and is completed as part of a cohort of 16 colleagues. All elements are mandatory, and include the below:

  • Monthly contact days including guided site visits, talks, workshops and lunch-and-learns on the topics above.
  • A small-group project to be developed for presentation to a senior audience at the end, and potentially at a large-scale conference, such as UKREIIF.
  • Shareable resources including case studies.
  • Optional mentoring from Future of GM alumni.

Time commitment: 1.5 - 2 days a month including a cohort contact day, peer shadowing, prep and group project work

Application process

Further information around the application process for the Greater Manchester Regeneration Skills Academy will be shared soon.