Regeneration Brainery gears up for 2025
A new partnership with Manchester City Council, an expansion to Yorkshire and the North East, and a newly created advisory board will position the non-profit to grow the number of young people it works with to more than 1,000 a year.
Regeneration Brainery is dedicated to narrowing the skills gap and increasing the diversity of the property industry by bringing more young people from under-represented backgrounds into the built environment through a series of workshops, networking opportunities, and work experience.
Of the more than 6,000 young people who have gone through the Regeneration Brainery programme, more than a third are now either working in the industry or actively training to join it.
Regeneration Brainery closed out December with a series of big changes, including the signing of its first local government partner. Manchester City Council joined a robust list of Regeneration Brainery supporters, a group that includes Place North, as well as Arup, Shedkm, Homes England, Civic Engineers, and Drees & Sommer to name a few.
To kick off the new partnership, Regeneration Brainery and Manchester City Council teamed up for a bootcamp earlier this month, which saw 25 Greater Manchester students go on site visits, participate in seminars, and network with the likes of Becca Heron, the city council’s strategic director of growth and development, as well as representatives from Landsec, Bruntwood, Lloyds Bank, and Capital&Centric.
Heron shared more about why the city council chose to join forces with the charity.
“Manchester has enjoyed a period of unprecedented growth and the visible signs of this are the cranes that populate our skyline, indicating a thriving development sector and investor confidence in our city,” she said.
“Crucially, we want everyone in Manchester to have the opportunity to share in the city’s ongoing success, and its initiatives like Regeneration Brainery that provide employment routes into the development sector and pathways to quality career opportunities that may otherwise not be available to our residents.”
Regeneration Brainery chief executive Michele Steel added: “Engaging in a formal partnership with Manchester City Council is an important step in supporting more diverse and inclusive opportunities for young people across Greater Manchester.
“Including public sector experience in the ‘Bootcamp’ Brainery weeks gives young people a different perspective on the different industry roles available,” Steel continued. “We look forward to growing this partnership and taking this model forward with other cities.”
With more partners coming on board and a goal to expand to Yorkshire and the North East, the newly created advisory board will play a vital role in maximising the charity’s efforts.
Place North managing partner Dino Moutsopoulos is one of the members of the Regeneration Brainery advisory board. Credit: Place North
Place North managing partner Dino Moutsopoulos is one of the members of the board.
“Following on from initial Place North West support of Regeneration Brainery, it was clear to me that the charity can and is having a real impact in effecting positive change for so many young people as well as our sector at large,” he said.
“I am very pleased to have been asked to join the board of Regeneration Brainery to help support Michele and her team around the commercial side of the property world – ultimately supporting the profile of the charity within the broader build environment.”
Steel will chair the advisory board, which will meet quarterly. In addition to Moutsopoulos, other members include former Brainee and current graduate project manager at Muse Abiola Ogunsami, Capital&Centric co-founder Tim Heatley, Lloyds Bank head of the North West Chris Yau, LandsecU+I office manager for Mayfield Kate Parks, Octopus Real Estate senior credit manager Lawrence Robinson, Gateley head of construction Hayley Sullivan, and EY Foundation employer engagement manager Kate Thomas.
