In an exciting step for our Yorkshire and East Midlands business, we’re investing £250,000 to bring the RE:GEN Academy model to Yorkshire and the East Midlands, creating new routes into skills, training and employment for hundreds of people living in social housing communities.
The RE:GEN Academy works with housing providers, employers and education and training partners to connect people with the skills, support and opportunities needed to move into meaningful employment – with a particular focus on creating pathways into construction and other sectors where demand for skilled people is growing.
The expansion follows a strong year for RE:GEN Academy, which supported 222 learners between April 2025 and March 2026, with 25% coming from social housing backgrounds.
During the same period, 89 people secured full-time employment, 16% of those were social housing customers.
Its approach is built around employer-led learning, strong industry and education partnerships, community engagement and, crucially, a clear connection between training and real employment opportunities.
Tom Lamb, Chief Strategy Officer at RE:GEN Group, said: “The RE:GEN Academy has always been about one thing: creating sustainable pathways into real employment.
“What makes our model so powerful is the visibility of work we have across RE:GEN Group. In some cases, we can see our pipeline up to 10 years ahead. That gives us the ability to anticipate demand – understanding the skills our business, clients and supply chain will need and creating pathways into those opportunities now.
“That means the Academy is driven by real demand and focused on outcomes – for industry, communities and, most importantly, local people.
“Crucially, we’re not here to duplicate existing provision or compete with the organisations already doing great work. Our role is to collaborate – bringing employers, education and training providers, clients and communities together to create the best possible routes into employment.”
The regional Academy model is already taking shape through a programme delivered in partnership with Sheffield City Council.
The Build Your Futures: Green Careers programme supported six people to develop skills and knowledge around opportunities in the green economy, with one learner subsequently securing employment with a RE:GEN supply chain partner and two progressing into further training.
The Academy team will continue to provide aftercare support to all participants, helping them access further training and employment opportunities.
The success of the first programme has already led to discussions about a further cohort with Sheffield City Council, as RE:GEN looks to build on the approach and create similar opportunities across Yorkshire and the East Midlands.
Tim Wood, Managing Director of RE:GEN Yorkshire & East Midlands, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be bringing the Academy model to Yorkshire and the East Midlands, particularly so early in our journey.
“We’ve earned the opportunity to do this by delivering for our clients and building strong relationships from the outset. Now, we’re investing £250,000 to create something that can have a lasting impact in the communities where we work.
“We’re already seeing what that can achieve through our work with Sheffield City Council. For us, that’s what regeneration should be about. Yes, we’re improving homes, but we also have an opportunity to change what’s possible for the people living in them.
“There is enormous potential within our social housing communities. Our ambition is to work with the right partners to connect hundreds more residents with the skills, support and employment opportunities being created on their doorstep.”
The Academy will work alongside housing providers, education and training organisations, employers and RE:GEN’s supply chain to identify local skills needs and develop programmes that respond directly to employment opportunities.
By connecting training to the investment and employment opportunities being created through regeneration, RE:GEN aims to give learners a clearer understanding of where their skills can lead – while helping employers and the wider industry build the workforce they need.
