Martyn Roads

Education and Assessment Consultant, Assessment Tomorrow

Martyn is an independent education and assessment consultant. He spent 13 years in Further Education, developing and managing a wide range of vocational programmes before joining BTEC in 1994. In 2001, he was responsible for managing, on behalf of a consortium of UK Awarding Bodies, the successful bid for the development of the Key and Basic Skills national tests in the UK. These were the first tests to be rolled-out in the UK using e-assessment. For the past 15 years, Martyn has been researching and implementing the use of IT in assessment which has included working with a range of organisations on the development of a range of screening and initial assessment tools for major UK employers. Martyn has also undertaken a number of other projects related to the development of vocational e-assessment for a range of awarding organisations including, most recently, supporting various projects for Saudi Skills Standards in Saudi Arabia where they were developing a new vocational system which is heavily technology dependent. For the last 15 years he has also been jointly responsible for many successful conferences, seminars and events across the globe focused on Skills Development and the use of IT in assessment.

Mark Dawe

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!

Richard Alberg

Director, MWS Technology

Richard Alberg is founder and CEO of MWS Technology Ltd (http://www.mwstechnology.com), a company he launched in 2009 after a successful career in psychometric testing and HR technology. MWS provides an innovative SaaS platform, called Aptem, that vocational training and welfare to work providers use to deliver their contracts.

Richard is also a founder and director at Corndel Ltd (http://www.corndel.com), a fast growth apprenticeship training provider. Corndel provides first class professional training in both management and software engineering.

Since launching MWS has received the following recognition:

• Winner of the LinkedIN European Business StartUp Award
• Winner of the Microsoft BizSpark Award
• Finalist in the National Online Recruitment Awards
• Gold award winner at the National e-Learning Awards
• Silver award winner at the IT Training Awards
• Selected for inclusion in Telegraph European Startup 100 List
• One of the final nine in the Cabinet Office Innovation Launch Pad
• Selected for inclusion in Real Business Future 50 List
• Highly Commended at ERSA Awards – Innovation category

Prior to MWS, Richard founded Psychometric Services Ltd (PSL). PSL developed and published psychometric tests and was a pioneer in the field of online recruitment, integrating assessment with recruitment workflow software. The company was purchased in November 2006 by Kenexa, a NASDAQ HR solutions provider that was in turn acquired by IBM.

Richard is a shareholder and advisor to several businesses and chairs the board at Launchpad Recruits. In 2017 he completed a successful term as Chair of North Hertfordshire College.

Bob Harrison

Ufi Trust

Profile to follow

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 whislt raising 4 children on her own. Her entreperneurial 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

Setting the scene for change in her keynote; Fiona will share her insights into how technologies are disrupting apprenticeship delivery models with an archetypal to help providers appraise whether their technology platforms measure up in the new world of employer standards.

John Winkley

Director, AlphaPlus

Profile to follow

Denis Saunders

Managing Director and Founder, Calibrand

Profile to follow

Susanna Lawson

Co-Founder and Director, OneFile

Profile to follow

Matt Wingfield

Chief Business Development Officer, Digital Assessment

Profile to follow

Chris Baumann

Group Chief Executive, Aktrion Group

Profile to follow

Sue Attewell

Head of change - further education (FE) and skills, Jisc

Profile to follow

Richard Marsh

Apprenticeships Partnerships Director, Kaplan

Richard has been involved in Apprenticeship training for 20 years.

At Kaplan he leads our work to create leading Professional Service Apprenticeships for Corporate UK.

Previous to that he was responsible for the delivery of two of the largest and most successful Apprenticeship programmes in the Financial Services sector.

Before that he worked for the National Apprenticeship Service and Skills Funding Agency on Apprenticeship funding and employer – government partnerships.

Richard started his career at Vodafone where he introduced Modern Apprenticeships and then moved to Volkswagen where he was responsible for training content.

Richard writes for the FE press and regularly speaks about Apprenticeship matters at conferences in the UK and abroad.

Sally Dicketts CBE

Chief Executive, Activate Learning

Sally Dicketts has held senior posts in both secondary schools and further education. She became Principal at Milton Keynes College in 1996, and in 2003 became the first Principal of Oxford & Cherwell Valley College.

In 2010, Oxford and Cherwell Valley College took over the responsibility for running Reading College and in 2013 set up a UTC in Reading. In 2013 she became the first Chief Executive of Activate Learning, bringing together in one group, three FE Colleges (Banbury & Bicester College, City of Oxford College and Reading College), two UTC’s (UTC Reading and UTC Oxfordshire), a 11-18 secondary school, a studio school, a training provider delivering apprentices, training and consulting in the workplace and a specialist engineering training provider.

Sally is a tireless campaigner and advocate for the learning and skills sector. She is a board member of ETF, was a board member of AoC and AMiE. She chairs the Women’s leadership network and was the chair of the Employment committee of the AoC. She is a member of the Oxfordshire Management Club, All Souls Group and is a leading thinker for the National Education Trust. She sits on the Oxfordshire LEP. Sally was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Honours list in July 2013.

Her main area of interest is in how people learn, mindfulness and how to develop more entrepreneurial innovative individuals. She enjoys travel, cycling, Zumba and spending time with her partner and daughter.

Alex Richards

Operations Director, WTPN

Alex runs the Western Training Provider Network as Operations Director, a Network based in the West of England which covers the four regional local authorities around the Bristol/Bath City region and had a membership of over 30 local, regional and National training providers, colleges and a University.

Alex started his career in the Govt funded training sector in 2010 joining JHP Training, helping them build a secure Apprenticeship base locally with 16-18 Apprenticeship recruitment programmes and adult learner work based learner programmes with larger employers.

Alex moved to T2 Business Solutions, another National training provider in 2013 and helped them established their Apprenticeship/Traineeship Academy in Bristol which has just gained it’s 2nd Outstanding Ofsted Award.

Along with excellent centre teaching and learning, a collaborative approach to working with schools, the local authority, employers and other providers was a major reason for the first Outstanding Ofsted award.

This collaborative approach with other stakeholders led to Alex taking part in regional Ofsted reviews, City wide focus groups on ‘Raising the Participation Age’ legislation and a successful City wide NEET reduction group.

Alex was then invited to and joined the board of the WTPN and now leads the network.

Most recently the WTPN and Alex has partnered with Business West which runs the four local chambers of commerce in a ESF/ESFA project to bring both providers and employers closer together to enable systemic change in the skills system through collaboration and co-design.

Ian Bamford

Chief Operating Officer, Paragon Skills

Ian has a valuable knowledge of further education and work-based learning, having over 20 years’ experience working in a variety of different organisations including private training providers and FE colleges. After leaving school he qualified as a chef in the mid 1980’s through the work-based learning route. Ian developed a passion for inspiring others to fulfil their potential through practical, high quality training, becoming an NVQ trainer assessor and then subsequently other key roles with a national hospitality training provider.

Ian then worked as a self-employed consultant specialising in training, inspection and quality, before progressing into operations and quality director roles for two national work based learning providers.

Alongside this, Ian has over 15 years’ experience working as an Ofsted inspector. Having carried out over 120 inspections across all remits including leadership and management, and quality improvement, Ian knows what Outstanding teaching, learning and assessment looks like and how to deliver it.

For the last two years, Ian has been the Chief Operating Officer at Paragon Skills, a nationwide Apprenticeship training provider, confidently steering them towards the delivery of an outstanding learning experience.

Gemma Marsh

Assistant Director Skills Policy, Strategy & Delivery, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Gemma is part of an executive team that leads on Greater Manchester’ agenda around creating an integrated education, skills & work system to raise attainment, reduce unemployment, improve skill levels and ensure high quality employer engagement.

In her previous role within New Economy, Gemma managed European capital projects, designed and delivered an employment programme at an NHS trust and developed a work & health charter in GM, before taking up the position of Director in 2014.

Gemma now oversees the work of the Skills and Employment team at the newly expanded Greater Manchester Combined Authority, delivering GM’s priorities for work and skills, ensuring all partners are working together towards a shared vision.

Most recently Gemma’s focus has been on the implementation of the skills aspects of Greater Manchester’s devolution agreement. Gemma is leading work to ensure that opportunities presented through the deal will deliver the best possible outcomes for residents and employers in Greater Manchester.

Sam Blyth

Director for Schools, Further Education & Learning Providers for Europe, Canvas

Sam Blyth has 12 years experience of working with colleges, schools, Local Authorities, multi-academy trusts and teaching school alliances in purchasing and implementing new technology. Formerly national Secondary manager for Discovery Education (formerly Espresso Education and Channel 4 Learning) and national key account manager for itslearning UK, Sam is now responsible for managing the team bringing the hugely successful Canvas VLE/LMS to colleges and schools across Europe.

Richard Guy OBE

Deputy Director, Quality, Institute for Apprenticeships

Richard worked at the Manpower Services Commission responsible for policy on vocational qualifications, design of training programmes and assessment and certification.

He was appointed Chief Executive of South and East Cheshire TEC in 1989 and then Manchester TEC in 1994. He was actively involved in the TEC movement nationally including working part time as Director of Policy for the TEC National Council.

In 2000 he facilitated partners to come together to form the Manchester Enterprises Group, a £100m turnover organisation responsible for determining the Economic Development Strategy for Greater Manchester and its implementation. He remained CEO of this group (renamed Manchester Solutions) until 2013.

After leaving Manchester Solutions, Richard worked for three years as Policy Adviser on Apprenticeships at City & Guilds.

He has been employed by the Institute for Apprenticeships since February 2017 as Deputy Director responsible for Quality.

Elizabeth Pawlowski

National English & Maths Skills Development Manager, Carillion

As National English & Maths Skills Development Manager, Elizabeth is responsible for leading and developing a team of expert practitioners. She feels passionately about Functional Skills and was part of the AELP English and Maths For All review, is a member of the AELP English and Maths Group and is chair of the AELP Functional Skills Special Interest Group.

Prior to joining Carillion, Elizabeth was a Tutor and Assistant Head of School at an FE college – covering Business, Administration, Law, ICT, Management, Key Skills through to Functional Skills, NVQs, Apprenticeships and Job Centre Plus Programmes.

She has a passion for reading and keeps abreast of developments in English and Maths, Observation of Teaching and Learning, and empowering learners to be the very best that they can be.

Jennifer Coupland

Director of Further Education, DfE

Jennifer Coupland took up post as DfE’s Director of Further Education in October 2016. Her previous role was Acting Chief Executive of the Standards and Testing Agency where she oversaw the Agency’s work on primary school assessment policy and operational delivery, covering the maternity leave of the current Chief Executive.

Prior to that Jennifer spent three years as the Deputy Director of the joint DfE/BIS Apprenticeships Unit where she was responsible for apprenticeship reform including creating new apprenticeship trailblazers, degree apprenticeships and the public sector apprenticeship duty. Before this, Jennifer was the Deputy Director in the Department for Education responsible for the early stages of Traineeships development as well as Raising the Participation Age, careers and NEET policy.

Jennifer began her career in the Employment Service where she ran a benefit section in a local office and delivered a range of programmes to support long term unemployed people into work. Since moving to central Government Jennifer has worked on a number of policy areas including: benefits, schools and post-16 education. Jennifer is married to Dan, who runs his own small business, and together they have three daughters aged 16, 14 and 10.

Martin was awarded an OBE in the 2010 New Year’s Honours list for services to skills training.

Anthony Chalmers

Pre-employment Skills and Public Sector Apprenticeships, DfE

Profile to follow shortly.