Shaping the Future of Place Management: Reflections on a Degree Apprenticeship
By Chris Gregory FIPM
As the Institute of Place Management and Manchester Metropolitan University develop a new Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship in Place Management, I’ve been reflecting on what success might look like for this important next step in the professionalisation of our sector.
Having worked in place management for over 25 years - across towns, cities, and business improvement districts - I know first-hand how diverse, demanding, and rewarding this field can be. It’s a profession that brings together people, partnerships, and purpose, yet one that still lacks the consistent training and recognition it deserves.
Across the UK, there remain clear inconsistencies in practice and standards between places, regions, and organisations. This apprenticeship offers the chance to address that by introducing a shared foundation for what effective, professional place management truly looks like.
Planned for a September 2026 start, the programme represents a unique opportunity to nurture future talent and strengthen the sector. It will provide a funded “earn and learn” route into the profession - levy-funded for large employers and heavily subsidised for SMEs - combining university study with real-world projects that deliver real benefits to local places.
Effective place management draws on a distinctive mix of knowledge, skills, and behaviours.
I see these as central to what the apprenticeship should deliver:
- Knowledge - a rounded understanding of the broad nature of place management, including global practice and the interconnections between place, economy, and community.
- Skills - project management, communication, versatility, and tenacity.
- Behaviours - professionalism, leadership, integrity, and passion.
The most successful place leaders I’ve met combine all of these qualities. This apprenticeship has the potential to embed those attributes from the very start of someone’s career and, in doing so, help shape the next generation of place leaders.
It’s an opportunity to establish common standards, build greater consistency, and create a stronger sense of professional identity across the sector.
For me, success lies in delivering a genuine win-win for both individuals and employers. The apprenticeship should offer learners a serious qualification that enhances their professional credibility, while giving organisations more qualified, motivated, and capable people who can deliver tangible change in their places.
By embedding academic learning alongside practical delivery, we can develop confident practitioners who understand the complexity of places and are equipped to make a lasting impact.
While the apprenticeship will be open to people at different stages of their careers, I see it being particularly valuable for those entering the sector for the first time.
It offers school leavers and early-career professionals a clear, credible route into a meaningful, purpose-driven career - one that connects local pride with professional skill. As a sector, we often talk about succession and sustainability; this programme could provide exactly the framework we need to make that ambition a reality.
The opportunity ahead is huge.
If we get this right, the Degree Apprenticeship in Place Management can become a cornerstone of professional development for our sector - supporting both individuals and organisations to thrive, and ultimately helping our places to succeed.
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.