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 32 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
The Local and Regional Economic Development Handbook
The Practitioner’s Guide for Everyone Whose Work Shapes Places and Economies
Whether you work in planning, property, higher education, skills, government, or community development — the economic forces reshaping UK places are directly reshaping your work. And if you work in economic development itself, you’ve never had a handbook like this one.
The Local & Regional Economic Development Handbook is the comprehensive, honest, practitioner-authored guide to how local economies work, why economic development so often fails to deliver what it promises, and what those working in and around the field can do differently.
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 32 Years of Supporting UK Economic Development
LPIP Fellow, University of Birmingham
Author of "The Local and Regional Economic Development Handbook"
Latest News and Advice
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External news
Local Economies (UK): Retail layoffs mount as UK unemployment climbs to five-year peak
Source: Local Economies (UK) Author: Amanda Vlietstra Date published: 2026-02-17 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] UK unemployment has reached its highest in nearly five years at 5.2%, according to the latest figures from the Office of...
Econ Dev Show Podcast – Economic Development: Economic Development 209: Building a Cross-Border Economic Engine with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi
Source: Econ Dev Show Podcast - Economic Development Author: unknown Date published: 2026-02-16 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Social Network Quick Links View original article at:
Regional Economies: India has highest level of AI skill penetration, adopted policy of avoiding over-regulation: Jitin Prasada
Source: Regional Economies Author: unknown Date published: 2026-02-16 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] New Delhi, Feb 16 (PTI) India has the highest level of artificial intelligence (AI) skill penetration and has adopted a policy approach of...
Combined Authorities (England): Could Manchester be a model for the UK to kickstart growth?
Source: Combined Authorities (England) Author: unknown Date published: 2026-02-15 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Manchester is known for its music scene [Getty Images] There is a buzz around Manchester that is difficult to truly understand...
Local Growth and the United Kingdom: Scotland’s councils face £42m cut after UK Government changes Brexit cash rules
Source: Local Growth and the United Kingdom Author: andrew.learmonth@newsquest.co.uk | Andrew Learmonth Date published: 2026-02-14 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] However, while around 70% of the UKSPF in Scotland could be spent on resource...
Regional Economies: Europe surges, US stumbles, China cools: EV sales dip in 2026
Source: Regional Economies Author: Michelle Lewis Date published: 2026-02-13 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] The new MG4 EV Urban (left) and 2026 MG4 EV (Source: MG Motor) 1.2 million EVs were sold globally in January – but the market...