Learning at Work Week 2026 shines a spotlight on a simple but powerful idea: there are many ways to learn. From bite-sized digital resources and peer learning to hands-on workshops and accredited training, learning today is more flexible, inclusive and accessible than ever.

Learning at Work Week is an annual, UK-wide campaign organised by the Campaign for Learning to highlight the importance of continual learning and development in the workplace.

Across Greater Manchester, organisations are embracing this diversity of learning approaches to build stronger, more resilient workforces—and here at the GM Business Growth Hub we are leading by example.

This year’s theme is a timely reminder that learning doesn’t have to follow a single pathway. It can happen in the flow of work, through collaboration, mentoring, formal courses or self-directed exploration. For employers and individuals alike, the challenge is knowing where to start and how to access the right opportunities at the right time.

During Learning at Work Week, it is especially relevant as organisations look for practical ways to support their people’s growth without adding cost or complexity.

Top tips for getting the most out of fully funded support:

• Explore enrichment opportunities, not just mandatory training. As Greater Manchester’s online destination for skills and training options, GM Skills Map has fully funded training options to suit the needs of individuals and businesses
  Click here for more details: Skill Search
• Match learning to business needs. Access the Skills Development Service to access fully funded support to identify training needs, match to fully funded training options to overcome current challenges and future plans.
  Click here for more details: GM Business Growth Hub | Skills Development
• Take advantage of fully funded workshops and one-to-one support. With workshops across Funding, People Development, Sales, Sustainability and sector focused options, there are high-quality learning options accessible to businesses of all sizes.
  Click here fore more details: Business & Network Events | GM Business Growth Hub

Importantly, the story of Learning at Work Week 2026 is not just about what the GM Business Growth Hub offers to others, but how its own teams are embracing the same opportunities. The People Development team at Greater Manchester’s Business Growth Hub are practising what they preach by actively engaging in fully funded training and development themselves. By participating in workshops, peer learning networks and continuous professional development, they are embedding a culture of learning that mirrors the advice they give to businesses across the city region.

This commitment sends a powerful message: learning works best when it is lived, not just promoted. By exploring many ways to learn - formal and informal, individual and collaborative—the People Development team are strengthening their own skills while staying closely connected to the real experiences of the employers they support.

As Learning at Work Week 2026 unfolds, Greater Manchester’s message is clear. With the right tools, such as the GM Skills Map, and access to high-quality, fully funded learning and dedicated support, every organisation can find pathways that work for them. Learning has never looked the same for everyone - and that is exactly its strength.