Press Releases

November 03 2008

Training place leads to Lapland job with Santa

When Emma Price joined an innovative training scheme to learn about regeneration she never thought it would lead to a job in Lapland working with Santa…

But 22-year-old Emma, of Newton Heath, Manchester, will soon be packing her woollies ready for moving to her new job as a Santa’s Lapland resort administrator in Saariselkä inside the Arctic Circle in northern Finland.

She reckons her time as a Regeneration Assistant working for the urban regeneration company New East Manchester between 2006 to 2008 gave her the skills and experience she needed to land her new job.

“If I had not had the chance to be a Regeneration Assistant I would never have got the responsible job helping to run the resort,” said Emma.

“The project management skills I learned at NEM, along with my greater confidence, helped me get the job in Lapland with Esprit Holidays.  The resort offers reindeer sleigh rides, trips on a husky dog sled and hunting for Santa by snowmobile – plus the chance to meet the big man himself – so it will be very different from working in east Manchester.”

Sean McGonigle, New East Manchester’s Director of Regeneration responsible for the Regeneration Assistants training scheme, said: “This programme was the first of its kind in the country and has proved to be a great way to start a career in regeneration. We’re pleased that the skills and experience Emma got from her time with us have helped her get this unusual and interesting job.”

Emma completed the training scheme with New East Manchester in April 2008 and has since been working for Eastlands Homes as part of a team overseeing the transfer of 5,300 council properties.