Sector Leaders Continue To Shape New Place Management Apprenticeship
The Institute of Place Management and Manchester Metropolitan University convened their second Apprenticeship Roundtable on 12 November, bringing together over 20 representatives from local authorities, Business Improvement Districts, national bodies including The BID Foundation, the cultural sector and international partners to co-design a new Degree Apprenticeship in Place Management.
Building on September’s initial session, the group explored the skills, structures and organisational requirements needed to establish a professional pathway for emerging place leaders. The conversation highlighted the sector’s growing recognition of place management as a multidisciplinary, people-centred profession - one that increasingly demands strategic coordination, community engagement, partnership building and data-informed decision-making.
There was strong consensus that a Level 6 apprenticeship would help fill a significant skills gap, supporting early-career practitioners and strengthening succession planning across the sector. Discussion touched on a wide range of practical questions that will shape the design of the programme, including:
- How can smaller organisations, particularly single-staff BIDs or SMEs, be supported to host an apprentice while still meeting mentoring and training requirements?
- What is the right balance between specialist place-based skills and broader leadership and management capabilities?
- How can the programme reflect the diversity of place-making roles - from regeneration and planning to cultural placemaking, economic development, public realm and BID management?
- Should apprentices rotate across departments or partner organisations to gain a deeper understanding of place from multiple perspectives?
- How do we ensure the apprenticeship embeds essential skills in inclusion, equity, data analysis, and community-led approaches?
- What does a flexible, UK-wide model look like, given the different policy contexts in England, Scotland and Wales?
These questions reflected the complexity of place-based work and emphasised why co-design with employers is essential.
Manchester Metropolitan University’s Jo Carney, Head of Apprenticeship Business Development outlined the next steps, confirming that the team will map sector feedback against existing apprenticeship standards to accelerate approval and ensure alignment with Skills England requirements. This will inform a draft programme structure, shared with the group early in the new year.
Participants also stressed the importance of ensuring the apprenticeship works for employers of different sizes, and that the programme enables apprentices to develop authority, versatility and confidence - particularly when working with local communities, political stakeholders and cross-sector partnerships.
Reflecting on the session, Ian Harvey, Head of IPM, said:
“The range of voices in this discussion shows how important it is to co-design the apprenticeship with the sector. Together, we’re building a route that will develop the next generation of place leaders.”
The group will reconvene in early 2026, with the first cohort targeted for September 2026.
If you or your organisation are interested in taking part in the apprenticeship scheme, or would like an initial conversation, please get in touch with the Institute of Place Management at ipm@mmu.ac.uk.
About the author
Formed in 2006, the Institute of Place Management is the international professional body that supports people committed to developing, managing and making places better.