Learning at Work Week: How learning from others shapes how we work
- Friday, May 22, 2026
- Posted By The Growth Company
To mark Learning at Work Week, we’re shining a light on how learning from others, whether that’s our colleagues, partners, clients, or the communities we support, is shaping the way we work across the Growth Company.
This approach means we don’t just deliver services; we continuously evolve them to meet the needs of the people and businesses we support.
One example of this in action comes from GM Business Growth Hub’s mentoring programme—demonstrating how shared learning and collaboration can future-proof our offering to meet evolving needs.
GM Business Growth Hub recently partnered with Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) to offer five students the opportunity to work on a live business project.
Over six months, the students worked closely with our colleagues and the Hub’s mentoring community to conduct a full evaluation of the mentoring programme, engaging directly with mentors, gathering insights, and presenting their findings back to the team.
In April, the students presented their findings, bringing together results from a survey, a mentor focus group, a detailed report and a final presentation with their ideas to strengthen and future-proof our mentoring offer.
The project gave students the opportunity to apply their learning in a real-world setting, while also providing valuable insight to help shape the future of the programme.
Matt Richardson, Head of Leadership and Social Impact, said:
"For the GM Business Growth Hub, and the Growth Company, the project aligned perfectly with both our own aims and Greater Manchester’s wider ambition to support and develop young people through high quality employer experiences.
"This is something I’m personally very passionate about, and we were delighted to see just how invested the students were—not only in the project itself, but in us as a business. They asked thoughtful questions, were clear about the direction they wanted the project to take and engaged brilliantly with colleagues and mentors throughout the process.
"I’ve been incredibly impressed by their approach, grateful for the work they’ve done with us, and I wish them every success for the future."
Adele Cope, Mentoring Specialist, added:
"The mentoring programme began six months ago, with five students sat across from us in what could easily have been mistaken for a scene from The Apprentice. They confidently outlined their proposed project, listened closely to feedback, and adapted their approach to meet additional requirements.
"I’ll admit, I expected the students to need a significant amount of hand‑holding. They didn’t. What became clear very quickly is that this wasn’t just a project, it was a shared learning experience. The students gained insight into the world of business and support services, while our mentors and colleagues gained fresh perspectives, new ideas, and space to reflect."
Mentors came away from the project energised and inspired, with practical ideas to strengthen the programme. These insights are already helping to shape how the mentoring offer evolves, ensuring it remains relevant, responsive and impactful.
One mentor summed up the value of the day:
"It was a pleasure to spend time with Adele and the students. It was interesting to see how other mentors viewed the programme and hear how the students felt things could be improved. I love being part of the mentoring scheme and am encouraged to see that our feedback is not only being listened to but also acted upon."
The success of the GM Growth Hub mentoring programme is powered by leaders, founders, and professionals who are willing to share their experience and support others to grow.
Last year, the programme made 76 mentoring matches, but with new approaches, we could go even further. If you’re interested in volunteering as a business mentor, please visit the GM Business Growth Hub website to find out more.
How this shapes the way we work
This project reflects something much bigger about how we work across the Growth Company.
The GM Business Growth Hub mentoring programme helped to shape our own internal mentoring programme, supporting colleagues to connect, learn from each other, and build the skills they need to grow their careers.
But learning doesn’t just happen internally. We also continuously learn from the businesses, individuals, and communities we work with.
Our Corporate Plan 2026-29 was co-designed with colleagues, our Board, and partners. The plan brings together insight from across our organisation and reflects the needs of the people and places we serve. It provides a clear, shared direction for how we continue to grow our impact and deliver inclusive, sustainable growth.
Explore our Corporate Plan and learn more about our ambition.