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
Combined Authorities (England): IfG DevoLab #2: How can mayors and strategic authorities secure investment into regional economies?
Source: Combined Authorities (England) Author: zuzanna.juszkiewicz Date published: 2025-10-01 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] IfG DevoLab #2: How can mayors and strategic authorities secure investment into regional economies?...
Combined Authorities (England): West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin announces intention to run for third term
Source: Combined Authorities (England) Author: unknown Date published: 2025-10-01 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Mayor Brabin made the announcement during a speech to the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. She told delegates: "I...
Bloomberg CityLab: California-to-Vegas High-Speed Rail Costs Jump $5.5 Billion
Source: Bloomberg CityLab Author: Martin Z Braun Date published: 2025-10-01 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] The price tag for building a private high-speed passenger railroad from Southern California to Las Vegas has swelled by nearly...
Combined Authorities (England): 5G Innovation Regions: What worked, what didn’t, and what’s next?
Source: Combined Authorities (England) Author: unknown Date published: 2025-09-30 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Image The DSIT-funded UK 5G Innovation Regions (5GIR) programme has seen ten regions throughout the UK receive a share of £36...
Local Economies (UK): UK must attract investment to drive EV growth, says leading think tank
Source: Local Economies (UK) Author: Craig Cheetham Date published: 2025-09-30 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] The UK needs to attract further investment if it is to achieve its battery electric vehicle (BEV) manufacturing target of one...
Combined Authorities (England): Liverpool City Region receives £25 million to bolster its world-class creative industries
Source: Combined Authorities (England) Author: unknown Date published: 2025-09-30 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is one of six UK regions with strengths in creative industries to have been...