| Speakers |
| Alan Benvie Skills Solutions Alan is Director of Foundation Skills within Skill Solutions, one of the largest providers of Apprenticeships in the North West. Skills Solutions is part of the Manchester Solutions Group of not-for-profit economic development service delivery companies. Alan is responsible for Foundation Learning programmes delivered through 11 training centres, each with a dedicated Placement Consultant. Having managed 16-18 provision throughout the Learning Gateway, e2e and Foundation Learning, Alan has a keen interest in maintaining Work Experience as a fundamental part of future employability related training. Prior to this he worked in counselling, commercial training, two government departments and collecting trolleys for ASDA. | |
| Mike Cox Association of Employement 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. | |
| Christine Dick HMI Ofsted Christine joined Ofsted as one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) in 2002. She is a qualified teacher and holds post-graduate qualifications in education and training management. She has a broad range of experience, including over twenty years prior to joining Ofsted, as a teacher, trainer, senior manager, and local authority adviser for 14-19 vocational education. Christine has made significant contribution to the development of new inspection frameworks across the areas Ofsted inspects. She regularly leads inspections in education and learning and skills settings. She has particular expertise in vocational education; teacher training; curriculum and quality improvement and in leadership and management. | |
| Irene Kirkman Department for Education Irene Kirkman has been Head of Vocational Education Strategy within The Vocational Education Policy Division at the DfE since April 2012. Prior to this she was a Delivery Commissions Manager in the TDA responsible for supporting teacher supply and continuing professional development in the North and Central areas of England. An experienced educational professional with postgraduate qualifications in teaching, careers counselling and educational management, Irene has also been a consultant in school organisation and improvement, following senior management experience in higher education and local government for 18 years. Her particular areas of expertise include:
• 14-19 vocational curriculum development • School funding and organisation • School improvement • Continuing professional development and recruitment of school teaching and support staff, HE and local government staff. | |
| David Sanster The Education Funding Agency David spent more than 8 years in arm’s length bodies, firstly six and a half years in the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and two years in the Young People’s Learning Agency. He had been Acting Head of Policy and Planning in LSC London East in 2006 when he transferred to national LSC and has worked across policy and strategy for all ages. He has worked on Foundation Learning policy for young people at a national level since November 2009. David joined the Department for Education as part of the Education Funding Agency in April 2012. David brings a wealth of delivery experience to his role, having previously worked in an FE College, an HE institution, a local authority worked based learning provider and with Connexions. Prior to working in the education and skills sector, David was an award winning financial journalist, author, publishing intermediary and a PR consultant. | |
