Wednesday, 2 May 2018 | BMA House, London

 

Speakers

Mark Dawe - Conference Chair            

Chief Executive, Association of Employment and Learning Providers

Mark Dawe was appointed Chief Executive of AELP in March 2016 following five years as CEO of the Exam Board, OCR. Previously Mark was Principal and Chief Executive of Oaklands College in Hertfordshire when he had been a board member of AELP. He has a wealth of experience across a broad spectrum in the education field.

Prior to his role at Oaklands College, Mark was Deputy Director, FE Strategy at the Department of Education and Skills having joined as Deputy Director, Adult Basic Skills Strategy Unit in 2003. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, Mark joined Canterbury College, becoming Head of Corporate Services in 1994. In 2000, he helped set up eGS, an e-procurement provider to the public sector. He is currently a governor of Sawston Village College and vice chair of Stapleford Community Primary School. He is also on the Board of the Ufi trust. Previously he has been a corporation member of Lewisham College as well as being on a variety of National Boards. In his spare time, he is a Scout leader, cycles and supports Plymouth Argyle!


Kevin Street

Senior Manager 16-19 Funding Development, ESFA

Profile to follow

Sam Parrett OBE MSc FCIPD

Principal and Chief Executive, London South East Colleges

Sam Parrett OBE is the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Principal of London South East Colleges. Sam was formerly Principal of Bromley College of Further & Higher Education. In 2016 she led the country’s first three-way college merger with Bromley, Bexley and Greenwich to create London South East Colleges (LSEC). Since joining in 2010 she has led the College through a major strategic development and transformation programme and was awarded an OBE for services to further education in 2016.

Through the LSEC Apprenticeship Company the College operates a managing agency which delivers over 1500 apprenticeships. London Skills for Growth joined the Group in Aug 2016 . Sam is also the CEO of London South East Academy Trust (LSEAT), a multi academy trust which supports a number of schools and academies in south east London, and is building a secondary free school which will open in 2019. 

Sam is a board member of Association of Employers and Learning Providers (AELP), a member of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) Accountability and Regulation Strategic Advisory Committee and the HEFCE Teaching Excellence & Student Opportunity Strategic Advisory Committee. She is a fellow of the Chartered Institute for Professional Development (CIPD) and a fellow of Royal Society of Arts (RSA). 

Sam started her career in the learning and skills sector 25 years ago as and has worked at City College Plymouth, Bracknell and Wokingham College, the Learning and Skills Council and Training and Enterprise Council.


Gareth Phillips

Commercial Director, BIIAB

Gareth has more than ten years’ experience in the Work Based Awarding Organisation Market, having worked as the Managing Director of the Hospitality Awarding Body, prior to the sale to City & Guilds; the Sales and Strategy Director at EDI prior to the sale to Pearson, and now at the BIIAB. Responsibilities have included leadership on all aspects of an AO, including Qualification Development, Sales and Marketing, Operations and Customer Service, and has a strong understanding of working with Regulators and Government Agencies. He is now leading on all aspects of Apprenticeship Standards and EPAO.

Has always been customer service driven, and has improved service to new levels throughout our industry. Provided focus on the Quality Assurance process within Centres to improve efficiencies and the quality of delivery. Created leadership in Employer engagement for over a decade and has worked collaboratively in the tripartite arrangement of Providers, Employers and an AO.

Leading on solutions for WBL Providers for the new Apprenticeship Standards and End Point Assessments. BIIAB are approved as an End Point Assessment Organisation for 14 Standards.

Will continue to lead on innovative approaches within our markets to further improve on quality and to establish the BIIAB as the AO of choice within the work based learning sector.

Gail Crossman

Director of Performance and Development, Learning Curve

Gail Crossman has 26 years of experience in Further Education sector, both in colleges and training providers. Gail started as a part-time lecturer and is now Director of Performance and Development, and part of the Executive Board, at Learning Curve Group (LCG).

Gail joined LCG in 2010 with the specific responsibility for managing the transition from the Train to Gain provision to Apprenticeships. Her role has developed and expanded considerably since then and Gail’s breadth of quality and curriculum knowledge is extensive. Her experience has led Gail to become an industry specialist in quality enhancement and performance review and as part of her focus on quality, Gail has secured vast experience and an in-depth knowledge of sub-contract management and best practice.


Fiona Hudson-Kelly

Chief Executive, Smart Apprentices

Fiona Hudson-Kelly is an award winning serial technology entrepreneur and founder of Smart Apprentices (www.smartapprentices.com). Smart Apprentices is one of the UK’s Top 50 fastest growing technology company providing a suite of innovative technology platforms for apprenticeship providers and end point assessment organisations.

Fiona is an interesting and inspirational speaker. Starting her first company at just 26 years of age, over 3 decades she has built and sold 2 multi-million technology companies whilst raising 4 children on her own. Her entrepreneurial journey is inspiring and heart rendering when she lost one of her companies in the wake of the Rover Group failure and had to pick herself up and start again as a single mum with 4 children under the age of 12 virtually penniless, she successfully started and sold her next technology company Silver Lining Solutions to US investors for £5.6m. 

Passionate about using technology to challenge and disrupt existing working practices. Her achivements and success are breath taking and include:-

  • Winner Global Excellence Awards – Most outstanding e-portfolio tracking software 2017
  • Winner – Every Woman UK – The Iris inspirational female entrepreneur technology award 2017
  • MBA Masters Degree Graduate – Oxford Brookes University 2017
  • Top 50 Fastest Growing UK Technology Company 2016
  • Winner – Best Business Outstanding Female Entrepreneur 2016
  • Authored the book – Survivial of the Smartest - 2016
  • Entrepreneur of the Year FDM everywoman in Technology Awards 2015
  • Winner – Small Business Apprentice Employer 2013 - West Midlands Region
  • Winner – Connect Midlands Millionaire Investment Challenge – 2006
  • National Finalist First Woman Award – CBI - 2005
  • Cosmopolitan National Finalist 2000
  • Midlands Business Woman winner - Woman of the Year 1998
  • Coventry Business Woman winner 1997
  • National IT Training Award with Rover Group 1995
  • Parcel force small business regional winner 1991
 Edd Brown

Director of Quality, FEA

Profile to follow

Simon Ashworth

Chief Policy Officer, Association of Employment and Learning Providers

Simon is our Chief Policy Officer, with additional responsibility for overseeing AELP’s Public Affairs and Research & Development functions. Simon sits on a number of external groups, including the ESFA’s Provider Reference Group and has worked in the sector since 2002.
Prior to joining AELP in January 2017, Simon was Director of New Products and Services at Babington Group, helping launch an ATA and was instrumental in the sale of the business from Bridges Ventures to new owners RJD Partners in April 2016. Whilst at Babington, Simon was leading on the Apprenticeship Reforms, working on a number of different Employer Trailblazer Groups, engaging with and mobilising a number of levy paying employers in readiness for May 2017. Before joining Babington Group, Simon spent three years at the Digital Youth Academy (DYA). The DYA was an innovative and entrepreneurial start up training provider specialising in leading on the development of Social Media and Digital Marketing curriculum. Whilst at DYA Simon worked with the likes of Pearson, City & Guilds and the Tech Partnership in developing new standards and associated eLearning materials.

Deborah Millar

Group Director of Digital Learning Technology, Grimsby Institute

Deborah has thirty years’ experience working as a teaching practitioner in education. Passionate about the benefits that digital technologies can bring to teaching and learning, her specialist interests lie in sourcing and sharing digital resources that are resource, subject and level specific. Her internationally recognised model of digital pedagogy, the LearningWheel (www.learningwheel.co.uk) demonstrates her proven track record of partnership working, sharing best practice and knowledge exchange via crowdsourcing.

Martin Lewarne

Regional Director - North West, Midlands & Wales, Canvas Instructure

Martin works closely with FE Colleges, advising them on how to enhance learner engagement using technology. He has worked in the education technology sector for over 5 years having previously worked for academic book publishers for 12 years. He was on the board at his children's school until recently, advising them on an educational technology strategy. Martin is passionate about education and how technology can bring down barriers to learning.