Strategic Exchange Special Interest Group | Wednesday, 18 February 2015
 
Speakers

Debbie Gardiner 
Chief Executive Officer
Qube learning

Debbie’s background is in retail management, having worked for a blue chip retail chain, both in retail and training management for some 15 years. In 1997 Debbie made a career change, moving away from traditional training and development into vocational learning. Debbie’s experience in the sector spans internal, commercial and government funded provision.

With fourteen years management experience in work-based learning, Debbie has a reputation for achieving results. Debbie is passionate about work-based learning and providing learning and development opportunities that add value to individual and businesses alike. Debbie is on the Board of AELP and has recently been appointed as a Leadership and Governance Programme Assessor for the ETF.

Debbie has been involved with a number of voluntary activities in her local community, these include running a Brownie Guide group, fund raising for local charities and good causes and being chair / treasurer for a ladies group. Debbie has a keen sense of duty and will in time expand and focus this part of her life to ensure that her efforts make a tangible difference.


Dr Mike Motley
Managing Director
TQ Training Management Services Ltd

Dr Mike Motley joined TQ Training in March 2014 as Managing Director, having spent over 30 years in education and training – six previously with TQ as Operations Director.  Mike joined TQ from North Warwickshire & Hinckley College where he was Vice Principle responsible for Corporate Support and Business Development which included employer engagement and strategic planning for the organisation.  He has a wealth of experience in work based learning, leading two other FE colleges to Beacon status, and was responsible for introducing Apprenticeships into the Ministry of Defence – now the largest Apprenticeship scheme in the Public Sector.  Mike is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and a Member of the Institute of Directors.


Kathryn James 
Programme Manager - Leadership, Management and Governance
The Education & Training Foundation

Kathryn has been with the Education and Training Foundation since it began in Aug 2013 where she is the Programme Manager for Leadership, Management and Governance. Kathryn has designed and commissioned ground-breaking work using crowd-sourcing and developing online resources to work with the sector to create the opportunities for the development of outstanding leadership.

Prior to working at the Foundation Kathryn worked at LSIS supporting under-performing providers to improve. She has also worked at NIACE leading on national work to promote social inclusion for people with mental health conditions. She has worked on behalf of government to write and development policy, has published four good practice guides and led national and regional networks and partnerships.

She has a background of teaching and management in the Further Education sector and is currently a member of a governing body of a Further Education College.


Joanne Dean (MBA, Chartered FCIPD, FCMI)
Managing Director
JD Management Solutions Limited

Jo is a versatile, solution focused, Governance and Strategic Human Resource Management professional with an excellent record of delivery to time and within budget.

Extensive experience of operating within a GFE College as:

  • A Strategic Management Team member with a broad range of Corporate responsibilities, latterly as Director of HR and Legal Services, leading teams of 3 to 140 people. 
  • Clerk to the Corporation.

Worked at national level for:

  • AoC in the Governance Team;
  • AoC and the Education & Training Foundation as a National Subject Specialist in Governance;
  • Served on LLUK Catalyst Project Board, AoC Employment Teams Modernising Pay, Equalities and Technical Job Evaluation Working Groups.

A Co-opted Academy Governor. 
 
Consultancy work includes:

  • Corporate Governance Reviews (in the FE and Schools sectors).
  • Performance management and development (Writing Senior Post Holders performance management and development schemes, training clients in their application, supporting governors in conducting SPH’s performance management interviews and reviews).
  • Learning and workforce development – Facilitator, trainer, speaker and mentor (Designing and delivering events at national, regional, college level).
  • Auditing the skills of individuals and trustees/governors, designing personalised governor CPD plans, Governing Body annual development plans and trustee/governor recruitment strategies.
  • Undertaking policy and procedure reviews. – Updating or writing new ones where required.
  • Research and writing (e.g. statutory and regulatory governance framework; governance self-learning materials for LSIS and AoC.
  • Strategic Management Human Resource Management.
  • Leading and managing health and safety-The governance interface.


Stella Turner
Head of Qualifications and Delivery
Association of Employment and Learning Providers

Stella is responsible for keeping a ‘watching brief’ on matters related to qualifications and curriculum development. She represents AELP on groups such as the Skills Funding Agency’s Qualifications Approvals and Governance Group and the BIS Vocational Qualifications Forum plus various Awarding Organisation Consultative Committees.
 
Since joining AELP Stella has managed a number of projects, including work related to the Qualification Credit Framework (QCF) Readiness Programme, Functional Skills Support, Unit Delivery Trials, the review of FE Teaching and Training Qualifications and the promotion of Higher Level Skills. More recently she has taken on responsibility for overseeing and managing work allocations within AELP’s delivery team. Stella has always worked in the education and training sector and has over 10 years experience of working for a work based learning provider.
 
As a Senior Training Manager for a large training provider in Bristol, she was responsible for a team of ten, overseeing and contributing to the design and delivery of a range of both government funded and commercial programmes including IT courses, Apprenticeships and NVQs in a variety of occupational areas. Prior to joining AELP Stella worked for the Awarding Body OCR as a Customer Support Manager.