Speakers

Professor Ann Hodgson – Conference Chair

Co-Director, Centre for Post-14 Research and Innovation,
UCL Institute of Education, University College London
             
Ann Hodgson worked as a teacher, lecturer, LEA adviser, editor and civil servant, before joining the UCL Institute of Education, University of London in 1993, where she is now a Professor of Post-Compulsory Education and Co-director of the Centre for Post-14 Education and Work. She currently directs a number of international, national, local and London-related projects that focus on the relationship between young people, the post-compulsory education system and employment. Ann has published widely in a variety of forms on topics related to post-14 policy, vocational education and training, lifelong learning and curriculum and qualifications reform and has 12 doctoral students who are researching with her in these areas. Her most recent book is The Coming of Age for FE? Reflections on the past and future role of further education colleges in the UK, which was published in May 2015.
 

Sue Clarke

Vocational Education Policy Advisor, DfE

Sue is a member of the Vocational Education and Post-16 Strategy Division at the Department for Education.  She led on  implementing 16-19 study programmes for DfE and now has responsibility for stakeholder engagement to support the Independent Panel working on Technical and Professional Education reform . Sue has held a number of teaching and leadership roles in further education colleges, as well as a senior leadership role at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, where she was responsible for Principal Learning qualification development in the 14-19 Diploma Programme. 

Before joining the Department as a policy advisor, Sue was a member of the senior management team responsible for policy and strategy across the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency. Early in her career she worked as a regional manager and sales executive in the private sector.

As a former student and teacher in further education, who was active in establishing school/college link programmes, Sue’s commitment throughout has been to give students taking vocational and academic courses a worthwhile curriculum offer which supports their progression into work or higher education.

Andy Wilson

Principal, Westminster Kingsway College
              
Andy Wilson has been Principal of Westminster Kingsway College since July 2004. Previously, he was Deputy Principal at Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College (EHWLC) and Vice Principal at the College of NE London.

Andy has taken a particular interest in apprenticeships and adult skills through his six years as a member of the Association of Colleges (AoC) Board and its Skills Portfolio Group. He is a member of the Tripartite Skills Committee which brings together representatives of Further Education, Private Training Providers and Sector Skills Councils, and a number of other groups developing policy in relation to adult skills. He is also a founder member of the London Capital Colleges group of the largest London colleges. 
   

Stewart Segal

Chief Executive, Association of Employment and Learning Providers

Stewart Segal was appointed to the role of Chief Executive Officer of AELP in 2013. Stewart has worked in the funded work based learning sector for over 20 years and in particular has supported AELP since its formation. Stewart worked as an independent consultant within the training sector, working with a number of training providers and colleges specialising in business development and funding issues.

Following a background in HR and general management in the private sector Stewart joined Hertfordshire Training and Enterprise Council in 1994 as Chief Executive until 1998 when Stewart joined Spring Skills as Chief Executive in 1998. Spring Skills was then the largest independent training provider in the sector involved in the delivery of a range of programmes in the service sectors such as retail, customer services, hospitality and business administration.
Panel

Elisabeth Baines

Manager, National Funding Development and New Programmes (16-19)
Education Funding Agency
             
Elisabeth works in Funding Development at the Education Funding Agency, and prior to that at the Young People’s Learning Agency , and has led on the development of the revised 16-19 funding formula.

Before working for the YPLA she worked for the Learning and Skills Council at the national office in various leadership roles.

Elisabeth has worked for the Education Department of a Local Authority and earlier in her career has delivered learning in both the public and private sector. 

Ruth Gilbert

Chief Executive, Career Colleges Trust

A qualified teacher, Ruth has held a number of roles in further education as well as in the commercial sector. Most recently, Ruth has been a consultant to the FE Sector, supporting college turnarounds and business development, having previously been a CEO and Principal of an FE college.

Ruth previously worked in the commercial sector for blue chip companies. She later ran a successful management consultancy providing performance recovery support and developing training programs for banks, law firms and other international organisations.

Ruth also has seven years of experience as Deputy Principal in two Further Education colleges. Her key area of expertise was on financial recovery, quality improvement and changing the business focus, with ‘Good’ and ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted grades at inspections.
Workshop Facilitators

Kerry Boffey

Director, Adult Learning Improvement Network

Kerry Boffey is an experienced trainer and conference speaker, having previously managed training provision in General Further Education, Work Based Learning and Offender Learning. A former Ofsted inspector for 14 years, and specialist advisor for Governance and working with ‘hard to engage’ groups of learners.

Peter Stacey

Adult Learning Improvement Network

Peter Stacey is a former Senior Manager for CFBT Inspection Services carrying out inspections on behalf of Ofsted. Peter previously worked as a Senior Manager in General Further Education, Work Based Learning and Offender Learning. Peter is a specialist adviser for employer engagement and the development of high performing employability programmes.

Joanne Park

Lecturer in Further Education Teacher Training, University of Portsmouth

Joanne Park is a Lecturer in Further Education Teacher Training at the University of Portsmouth. Her current research interest is investigating the effectiveness of developing learners employability skills to meet employer expectations. Prior to working for the university Joanne worked in a further education college in which she managed the Office Administration curriculum, which incorporated courses from level 1 to level 3 including full time, part time and apprenticeship provision.

Mike Cox

Operations Manager, Association of Employment and Learning Providers

After 13 years in retail purchasing and supply, Mike became an assessor for apprenticeships with TBG Learning in 1999. He soon moved onto various development roles with learndirect, RNID and then LSN where he headed up the bidding and development team, helping design support programmes and research in areas including Train to Gain, Citizenship, Diplomas, Key Skills, Functional Skills and Foundation Learning. He joined AELP in February 2013.

Mike is married with 2 children and lives in rural Kent.

David Smith

Co-Director, Centre for Post-14 Education and Work, UCL Institute of Education

David is an experienced consutant and Co-Director of the Center for Post 14 Education and Work at the UCL Institute of Education. His work has been with practitioners plus middle and senior managers/leaders across the schools and further education (FE) & skills sector. David has worked for a variety of national and regional bodies on 14 plus staff and curriculum development projects as well as evaluation and research projects. He has also held leadership roles in the FE and skills sector on national educational development programmes for FEDA, LSDA and LSIS including support for the LSIS Leadership programme and Leadership of HE in FE programme. He has been involved in the delivery and management of the Education and Training Foundation’s work on the Leadership Portal, Two Way Street, Future Apprenticeships and Teach Too as well as being an active Programme Assessor for the Foundation’s Vocational Education and Training Directorate.