CPD, training and skills in Local and Regional Economic Development
Expert knowledge, proven frameworks, and practical tools for local authority officers, consultants, and practitioners delivering regional growth strategies, innovation programmes, and place-based policy – built from 31 years of working in the field
- 15 hours of on-demand courses covering the 8 disciplines of local and regional economic development
- Practical workbooks (e.g. FDI from scratch; develop a great project idea)
- Community, chatrooms, discussion
- Mentoring and coaching support
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
- Skills and training in local and regional economic development
Endorsements
“A big shout out to Glenn Athey who has taken his many years in economic development consultancy and created Economic Development World (www.economicdevelopment.world), the UK’s first online community for local and regional economic development that provides CPD, on-demand lean learning, a community of peers and workbooks. Built on three pillars of accelerated learning, shared knowledge and community support, it is a fabulous resource for our industry.
“From what I have seen already, this has the potential to create a step change in how the UK delivers economic development, putting the skills and development of practitioners, whether newbies or old hands, front and centre. Get yourselves signed up, get involved and support this great initiative.”
Adam Breeze, Breeze Strategy
“2026 has to be the year that economic development professionals take the important steps, from policy comment, strategic views, to decisive practictioner application and delivery. Critical is to have an accessible platform for CPD, training, and a focused community to ask questions and discuss best practice and aspects of local and regional economic development. I am delighted that an established and respected colleague Glenn Athey has founded and created this resource on www.economicdevelopment.world .”
Mark Pearson, Head of Economic Development, Reading's Economy & Destination Agency (REDA)
Want Local and Regional Economic Development Strategies that Actually Get Implemented?
Want to Persuade Political Leaders to Invest in Economic Development?
Struggling to Make the Case for Innovation Funding?
Founded by Glenn Athey, an Economic Development Professional and Advisor With 31 Years of Supporting UK Economic Development
LPIP Fellow, University of Birmingham
Author of "The Local and Regional Economic Development Handbook"
Latest News and Advice
𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻
After reviewing dozens of local skills plans, I see the same fundamental misunderstandings repeated. Here's what actually matters: 𝟭. 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 An aerospace manufacturer needs accountants, IT staff, administrators, and delivery drivers - not just...
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 “𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆” 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝘆
Most economic developers treat net zero as a compliance exercise. They shouldn't. Here's what the evidence actually shows: Green industries in the UK already contribute £71 billion in GVA. They support 840,000 jobs at an average wage of £42,600 (versus £33,400...
Free Resources and Workbooks for Economic Developers
17-lesson, 2.5 hour foundation course for local and regional economic development The 17 lessons are structured as follows: 1. Rationale for Local and Regional Economic Development2. Overview of themes and functions3. Understanding economics and economic trends4....
𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝟯 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻: 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝟯 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 Here's something to try in 2006! Move beyond career wishes, i.e. "Get more experience." "Improve my skills." "Build my network." 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺...
Become more AGILE in economic development! Download the workbook
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗪𝗮𝗸𝗲-𝗨𝗽 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 With trade policy uncertainty gripping markets in 2025, continued inflationary pressures, and the emergence of AI, most economic development teams are operating with strategies that...
𝗧𝗵𝗲 “𝗔𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲” 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲
𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗔𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲" 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 Stop me if you've heard this before: "AI is coming for everyone's jobs, we need to prepare for mass unemployment." Here's the problem with that thinking - it's...
External news
Combined Authorities (England): ‘A bold step forward’ – Bid for funding and powers for York and North Yorkshire
Source: Combined Authorities (England) Author: alice.kavanagh@newsquest.co.uk | Alice Kavanagh Date published: 2026-01-26 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority has officially backed a bid for...
SmartCitiesWorld News: WEF launches major global reskilling initiative
Source: SmartCitiesWorld News Author: SmartCitiesWorld news team Date published: 2026-01-26 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] At a glance Who: World Economic Forum (WEF). What: WEF has launched the Reskilling Revolution initiative, a...
Econ Dev Show Podcast – Economic Development: Economic Development 206: The Fifth Season of Economic Development with Juliet Abdel
Source: Econ Dev Show Podcast - Economic Development Author: unknown Date published: 2026-01-26 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Social Network Quick Links View original article at:
City Economies: Washington D.C. Joins Seattle, Boston, New Mexico, Kansas City and More American Cities Facing Huge Tourism Economy Loss As Brutal Snowstorm Grips, This is Happening Just After Federal Government Shutdown, Trade Tariff War, Hefty Tax, Visa Integrity Fee and Canadian Boycotts
Source: City Economies Author: Tuhin Sarkar Date published: 2026-01-26 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Washington D.C. Joins Seattle, Boston, New Mexico, Kansas City and More American Cities Facing Huge Tourism Economy Loss As Brutal...
Regional Economies: EU trade deal may give a big push to tech transfers, exports & more
Source: Regional Economies Author: unknown Date published: 2026-01-25 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Mumbai | New Delhi: Even as Europe has emerged as the largest export destination for Indian auto component makers ahead of the US,...
City Economies: Reeves told City at ‘critical juncture’ after claims of golden age
Source: City Economies Author: Samuel Norman Date published: 2026-01-25 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Rachel Reeves has been handed a firm warning that Britain’s financial ecosystem is facing a “critical juncture” even after the...