Route panels

Jude Capper, PhD ARAgS

Route panel chair

Independent Livestock Sustainability Consultant 

Jude L. Capper, PhD ARAgS undertook her BSc (Agriculture with Animal Science) and PhD (Ruminant Nutrition and Behaviour) at Harper Adams University College (UK), followed by post-doctoral research at Cornell University (USA) and a faculty position at Washington State University (USA).  She is currently an independent Livestock Sustainability Consultant based in Oxfordshire, UK.

Jude's research focuses on modeling the sustainability of livestock production systems, specifically dairy and beef, including quantifying changes made by improving productivity or adopting differing management practices. She is also currently working on projects relating to the impacts of medicines use on UK beef farms and the national and global impacts of livestock health and welfare on system sustainability.

Jude’s professional goal is to communicate the importance of factors affecting livestock industry sustainability to enhance the knowledge and understanding of food production stakeholders from the farmer through to the retailer, policy-maker and consumer. She has an active social media presence and spends a considerable amount of time de-bunking some of the more commonly-heard myths relating to livestock production. To this end, she was awarded the Women in Dairy “Dairy Industry Woman of the Year 2017” and the Farmers Guardian “Farming Hero of the Year 2018” awards, and was awarded Associate Membership of the Royal Agricultural Society in 2018.

Chris Moncrieff

Route panel vice-chair

Head of Information and Advice, Royal Horticultural Society

 Chris undertook his HND in commercial horticulture at Writtle Horticultural College and subsequently joined the glasshouse tomato and pepper grower Van Heyningen Brothers. He remained there through a number of incarnations of the company, finally taking on the role of Production Director for Vitacress Herbs. After 35 years with the business, Chris moved to the Royal Horticultural Society, a charity most famous for its annual Chelsea Flower Show but increasingly recognised for its scientific research, education and community work. 

Chris’s current role focusses on leading a team of horticultural experts who provide horticultural advice to the charity’s 600,000 members, to the 30 million gardeners in the UK and, via its web presence, to the wider world. He also looks after the Society’s plant information records and continues to be a member of the Ornamental Horticulture Round Table education subgroup, which helps to promote the sector to government and horticultural stakeholder organisations.

Chris is an active advocate of horticulture as a career and passionate about encouraging training and development. He was formerly a trustee of Lantra and served as a secondary school governor for ten years.

 Peter Danks

Director, Reading Agricultural Consultants

Peter is Director of Reading Agricultural Consultants, a group industry experts delivering agricultural and environmental advice to clients across the UK, from companies running major infrastructure projects to small livestock farms.

Peter is a chartered environmentalist and an expert in agriculture, hydrology and ecology. He was formerly a trustee and member of the Board of Management of the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust, and member of both the Environment Agency’s Thames Regional Environment Protection Advisory Committee and Council of the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants.

Peter’s involvement in the Route Panel is founded on a strong belief in the benefits of workplace learning: transferable knowledge, skills and behaviours employers actually need; and more defined opportunities to start and progress in a chosen career.

Samantha Gregory

Moulton College Equestrian Centre Manager

Horses have been part of Sam’s life since childhood and, despite studying Agricultural Land Management at Reading University, she chose to pursue a career within the equestrian industry. On graduating, she secured a management position at a large equestrian centre, overseeing the riding school and livery yard. This gave her with the opportunity to attain the British Horse Society Intermediate Instructor’s qualification.

Sam has since developed a breadth of expertise, having worked in both the UK and Canada in polo, racing, thoroughbred breeding, equine rehabilitation and supportive veterinary care. In her current role, she is responsible for the commercial operations of the Equestrian Centre at Moulton College, where she has gained valuable insight into the delivery of vocational qualifications and the educational landscape.

Sam is very passionate about being able to positively contribute to the development of new entrants into the industry, while ensuring that the highest standards of equine welfare are upheld, and employers can maintain a sustainable workforce.

Phil Elkins

Director/Consultant Vet, Moo Vet Consultancy

Awaiting biography

Peter Arrand

Group Aftersales Manager, CLAAS Eastern

Agriculture and engineering have been part of Peter’s life since childhood. From an early age, he would help on the family farm, which consisted of both arable and livestock, including showing and breeding Hunter horses.

Starting as a land-based engineering apprentice, Peter progressed to hold the positions of Operations Manager, Dealer Development Manager and Group Aftersales Manager for large agricultural dealerships. He has continually developed his skills, obtaining qualifications in business, occupational safety and health and the environment.

Peter has always been passionate about training and education, supporting both primary and secondary academies over 10 years as a governor, with a particular focus on careers. He has participated in both apprenticeship and T Level development and has extensive knowledge and experience in the development of end-point assessments. Peter is an advocate for land-based occupations and career development through experience, education, and training.

Richard Thomas

Group ESG Director for Trustgreen

Richard is Group ESG Director for Trustgreen, responsible for leading and delivering all environmental, sustainability and environmental social governance across the Group. This includes all aspects of corporate social responsibility (CSR), environmental impact and biodiversity. He works with project teams throughout the business to deliver the net zero roadmap and broader CSR strategy.

Richard’s passion for the natural world has shaped his career over the past 20 years. After gaining a degree in environmental studies, he worked in a number of sectors in roles focused on protecting and enhancing the environment. He also developed a keen interest in corporate continual improvement. Having a role that combines making businesses and their people better with helping communities to grow by engaging with open spaces on their doorsteps gives meaningful purpose to his work and is, for Richard, a real privilege.

Kristin Watson FCA

Route panel chair

Director of Professional Qualifications, Ernst & Young

Kristin is Director of Professional Qualifications at Ernst & Young, responsible for the development and delivery of qualifications for school leavers, graduates and experienced hires across the company’s many different services. It’s a role that involves significant liaison with external tuition providers, professional bodies, regulators and other employers within the sector. It also has a strong connection with the company’s apprenticeships programmes.

Kristin previously worked for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) as a Director in the Learning and Professional Development Department, leading on client relations, student support and promotion of the Institute’s Associate Chartered Accountant qualification. She was formerly Chair of the trailblazer steering committee for the professional services sector, overseeing the development and delivery of the Level 7 Accountancy/Taxation Professional Apprenticeship Programme.

Susanna Lawson

Route panel vice-chair

ex CEO/Founder OneFile 

Over 20 years ago, Susanna was working as a support worker with adults with learning disabilities and had to complete an NVQ level 2 in care to prove her practical competencies. That was the start of her involvement with vocational training.  After completing her NVQ levels 2 and 3, she soon moved up the ranks, and was appointed National Contract Manager for an independent training provider, overseeing 1,000 apprentices across the UK.

Throughout her journey, Susanna witnessed huge inefficiencies at every stage of delivery, and so, together with her partner, she decided to build an edtech solution: OneFile. OneFile grew from being a back bedroom start up to the leading software for apprenticeships with over 1.2million users. Susanna recently sold OneFile but continues to be an ambassador for the vocational training sector in the UK and in the US.  

Christine McLean

Global Expert in Project Controls

Christine has held several senior roles within organisations, managing upwards of 200 individuals. Her roles have included Global Managing Director of a management consultancy company and Head of Project Controls for Jacobs. She has significant international experience, having spent parts of her career in Japan, South Africa, Paris and Dubai and worked on a number of worldwide - often multi-billion pound - projects.

Christine is an expert in cost management, change management, planning, estimating and risk and opportunity management. Alongside her 'day job' she is an Engineering and Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) accredited trainer, an assessor for RQF qualifications (up to Level 6), and an end-point assessor for apprenticeship qualifications. She is currently President and a Director of the Association of Cost Engineers (ACostE), having previously held the Strategy Director’s role and gained her Fellowship there in 2018. Christine is also a parent governor and chair of the finance committee for a special educational needs school.

Professor Philip Powell

Dean, Faculty of Business, Law and Politics, University of Hull

Philip is currently Dean of the Faculty of Business, Law and Politics at the University of Hull.  He was previously Executive Dean, Pro Vice-Master (Enterprise and Innovation) and Professor of Management at Birkbeck, University of London. His extensive research into information systems, management, operations and higher education management has led to more than 350 published outputs.

Before becoming a Dean in 2009, Philip was Deputy Dean of the School of Management at the University of Bath and previously worked at Warwick, Adelaide, Southampton and Lisboa Universities. He is a Fellow of the British Computer Society, Academy of Social Sciences, Centre for Distance Education, and the Higher Education Academy. He is also a Senior Scholar of the Association of Information Systems and a former president of the UK Academy for Information Systems. Prior to becoming an academic, Philip worked in insurance, accounting and systems analysis. His long-standing interest in skills development and opportunities for reskilling led him to his current role as a Route Panel Member.

Professor Sunitha Narendran

Executive Dean, Faculty of Business and Law and Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor Internationalisation and Global Engagement, Roehampton University

Sunitha is the Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law at Roehampton University, responsible for student experience, portfolio development, research, knowledge exchange and collaborative partnerships. Prior to joining Roehampton, she held academic and leadership roles at the National University of Singapore, MARA in Malaysia and the University of Bangalore in India.

Sunitha is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS), Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), and a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (RSA). She is committed to developing reflective practice and is a firm believer in the importance of CPD and life-long learning. As a route panel Member, Sunitha is motivated by the opportunity to work with the Institute to develop and maintain high-quality educational qualifications relevant to the needs of business and society.

Paul Scholey

Portfolio Lead - Sustainability, Drax

Paul brings a wealth of expertise in change management to his role as Portfolio Lead – Sustainability at Drax Group. With over two decades of experience in project, programme, and PMO roles, Paul has established himself as a leader in driving organisational change.

Prior to joining Drax, Paul served as the Head of Technology Governance and Resourcing at Royal Mail, where he led the resourcing of the technology team and was responsible for the apprenticeship and early careers schemes. His background includes 14 years at Centrica (British Gas), where he honed his skills in project management and change delivery. He is a qualified MSP (Managing Successful Programmes) and P3O (Portfolio, Programme and Project Office) practitioner.

At Drax, Paul is excited to merge his professional acumen with his passion for sustainability, contributing to the company's mission to drive impactful change in response to the climate emergency.

Lesley Campbell-Stephens

Head of Apprenticeships, Department for Work and Pensions

Lesley’s career experiences have been varied, taking her around the world and across multiple industries and sectors. After an early career in management and technology consulting, Lesley is now a senior HR generalist and executive coach in the UK Civil Service, with expertise in leading people and organisations through change and transformation. Lesley holds an MSc in Human Resource Management and Development and an ILM Level 7 PG Cert in Executive Coaching and Mentoring.

Lesley is an advocate for HR and Civil Service careers and is delighted to represent the HR profession and public sector within the business and administration route panel. She frequently mentors early career HR professionals working towards CIPD qualifications through apprenticeships and coaches across the Civil Service, helping people to navigate a fulfilling civil service career.

Sami Ben Ali

Global Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI) Leader, Amazon Web Services

Sami is a global Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI) leader at Amazon Web Services and an accomplished HR professional with over 20 years of international experience. He brings expertise in generalist HR, talent acquisition, and thought leadership, having managed complex global teams. He also brings a hunger for continuous learning.

A people-centric leader, Sami has been recognised for his work in generating inclusive workplaces and creating opportunities for underrepresented talent – he was voted one of the 'most inspirational global DEI leaders' by the D&I leaders association in 2022 and 2023. He holds an MSc in HR management and development and is a CIPD member.

Sami is excited to work with IfATE to develop further opportunities to meet the needs of the diverse talent that is out there.

Robert Ramsay Gosling Kennedy

Global Apprenticeship and Talent Program Specialist

Robert currently works for a global life sciences and healthcare corporation, where he leads all aspects of talent and education programs, ensuring companies in the group have the skills they need for the future, as well as helping them to become leading inclusive employers. He is one of the most decorated apprenticeships specialists in England, having won numerous national and local apprenticeship awards as well as awards for talent and diversity programs. He is the proud winner of multiple Princess Royal Awards.

Robert previously worked in both the private and public sectors, in fields as varied as aerospace engineering, heavy industry, healthcare, and FMCG. He has played a pivotal role in developing apprenticeships and technical education across multiple sectors, setting up programs in the UK, Europe and Americas. Robert has chaired a number of trailblazer groups and sits on the Royal Society of Biology (RSB) accreditation committee, leading their apprenticeship accreditation work. He is a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development branch committee member and represents industry on the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education benchmarking standards group, giving him a great understanding of the processes and influences impacting skills needs in England.

Robert is passionate about diversity and inclusion and helping others reach their potential. He founded the apprenticeship decent wage pledge in 2021 to eradicate education-driven poverty and helped create the RSB apprenticeship awards to drive parity of esteem. Robert cites his biggest and proudest achievement as opening up careers in science and helping to change lives.

Jane Hanrahan

Route panel chair 

Workforce Development Manager , Norfolk County Council

Jane has focussed her working life around supporting others to learn and develop their careers.   Her first role was as a secondary school maths teacher, where she became interested in what happened to students and their learning after they left the education system.  She moved to a large insurance company's training department where her team were at the forefront of e-learning development.  

Her career took her back into the public sector where she has undertaken a variety of workforce-related roles within Norfolk County Council.  As a strong advocate for workplace learning, she has embraced the opportunity of using apprenticeships to meet skills shortages. With social worker recruitment being an ongoing challenge locally, and nationally, Jane stepped in to lead the trailblazer group.  In November 2018, the group was pleased to announce the successful approval for delivery of the social worker integrated degree apprenticeship.

Clair Davies MBE

Consultant

Clair has spent the last 30 years working with children who have been traumatised by abuse and neglect.  She graduated from Cambridge University in 1989.  She subsequently studied for her Masters in Special Education and spent a period researching in America before returning to England and setting up Appletree in 1995.  She developed Appletree Treatment Centre Homes and Schools, providing high-quality therapeutic care, education and therapy. 

Clair was a member of the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) Topic Expert Group which wrote the standards for the emotional health and wellbeing of looked after children in 2015.  She was also chair of the apprenticeship trailblazer group which wrote the Level 4 and 5 qualifications for those working with children, young people and families.  In June 2020, Clair was awarded an MBE for her work with apprenticeships and traumatised children.

Martin Kelly OBE

Martin Kelly OBE

Corporate Director, Children Services and Education, City of York Council

Martin’s 32-year career in social work has focussed on reforming and improving practice across child welfare services. He is an experienced system leader across children services and has previously developed and led provision regarded as outstanding by Ofsted. He is also the author of the award-winning solution-focussed ‘No Wrong Door’* service, a multi-agency approach to supporting young people in or on the edge of care.

 Martin is passionate about the benefits of practice-based learning and the value this brings to industry and public service. He is especially keen to see the growth of apprenticeship routes in the social services sector, seeing this as a way of improving workforce sustainability, particularly in hard-to-recruit areas.

 * Martin would love to hear from employers who can offer work experience opportunities or aspirational workplace visits to care leavers. If you can help or you would like to find out more, please contact IFA.CHAIR@education.gov.uk. Please put FAO care services panel in subject line.

Jason Warriner

Director of Care, Quality and Governance, Cranstoun

Jason is a Registered Nurse who has held senior roles in the NHS and charity sector, covering clinical, operational and governance remits. His clinical areas of expertise include sexual health, HIV and homelessness.  He is currently Director of Care, Quality and Governance for a charity.

From 2006 to 2010, Jason was chair of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Congress and, from 2011 to 2019, a member of RCN’s Public Health Forum Committee, serving as chair of the forum for six years. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and was previously an appointed member of the Prime Minister’s Nursing and Care Quality Forum.

Jason has been a trustee for Crisis and volunteers as the healthcare manager for the charity at Christmas.  He also currently volunteers as the Health and Social Care Training Manager for WorldSkills UK.

Chantelle Byng

Programme Manager for Care, Professional Training Solutions

Chantelle began working in the care industry at the age of 18. Over the past 26 years, her career has covered all aspects of the sector. Ten years ago, she made the move into workplace learning, eventually becoming a qualified assessor. She spent two years with Fareport Training, before taking a position with Eastleigh College, where she completed her IQA Award and level 5 in health and social care and became a quality coach responsible for overseeing the care and childcare team.

Chantelle’s long career in the care industry has given her a passion for ensuring everyone has the same chances and opportunities to show how well they can do. This passion has been strengthened by her work with apprenticeships. Chantelle’s desire to make apprenticeships in care the best they can be – both for the people working in care and for the individuals they look after – was what motivated her to join the route panel.

Alison Gilbert

Route panel chair

Human Resources Director

Alison is passionate about improving education standards in the hospitality sector and encouraging people, be they young, disadvantaged or just those that ‘don’t know’, to consider the many and wonderful career opportunities the sector offers.

Alison is a former non-executive director for Springboard, a charity focused on helping people of all ages and backgrounds improve their career prospects in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industry. She has also been an informal advisor to People 1st on the development of new apprenticeship standards and, in a past role,  worked with local government in adult education. She has strong links with industry and has chaired a number of multi-employer and stakeholder committees.

John Williams MBE

Route panel vice-chair

Executive Chef, The Ritz London

John became Executive Chef at The Ritz London in 2004, where he oversees some 60 chefs and is responsible for the hotel’s restaurants, room service and banqueting and private dining rooms. He came to The Ritz with three decades of hospitality experience – from his first position as Commis Chef at a hotel in Northumberland to his 18-year tenure with the distinguished Savoy Group of Hotels and Restaurants, where he served as Premier Sous Chef at Claridge’s and Maître Chef des Cuisines at The Berkeley, before moving to head up Claridge’s kitchens as Maître Chefs des Cuisines in 1995.

John was appointed Executive Chairman of The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts in 2004 and is the Committee Chairman for the Academy’s Annual Awards of Excellence. He has received numerous industry awards and represented Great Britain in the prestigious Bocuse D’Or culinary competition; he continues to mentor the English team. In 2005, he became the first British chef to be conferred with a CMA (the equivalent of an MBE) by the French Government and, in 2008, was awarded an MBE for services to hospitality.

Neil Rippington

Instructor in Culinary Psychology, Harvard University and Director of Education for The Chefs' Forum, UK

 Having built a successful career as a chef in Michelin-starred restaurants in France and London, Neil returned to education as a chef lecturer at South East Essex College. He later moved to Redbridge College, first as Programme Manager for Hospitality and Catering and then Quality Manager. In 2003, he joined Colchester Institute as Head of Centre for Hospitality and Food Studies; in 2007, the Centre was awarded Grade 1 for outstanding provision – the first and only outstanding grade in the history of the organisation.

 From 2010 to 2020, Neil was Dean of the College of Food and Hospitality Management at University College Birmingham. In 2006, he was invited to join the team working on the creation of the Diplomas in Professional Cookery. His contribution was recognised with special awards from the British Hospitality Association and National Skills Academy for Hospitality.

 Neil is now a celebrated author and contributor to a wide range of books and resources on educational development in the hospitality and catering sector. He is currently working as Instructor in Culinary Psychology at Harvard University and also as Director of Education for The Chefs' Forum, UK.

Robert Marshall-Slater

Head of apprenticeships at the city of Liverpool College

Robert started his career in Switzerland at the iconic hotel Baur au Lac, before moving to the Intercontinental, Hyde Park Corner then on to posts in Bermuda and Hong Kong. Latterly, he worked at the Michelin-starred Le Champignon Sauvage in Cheltenham, where he was a finalist in Young Chef of the Year and holder of an Acorn Award, a scheme that recognises the brightest prospects in the hospitality industry. 

From 2005 to 2007, Robert was a member of the Academy of Culinary Arts and achieved 3 AA rosettes in his first head chef position. He then moved into education, teaching culinary arts and hospitality management for 11 years at Lancaster College before becoming Head of the Lakes Hotel School of Hospitality and Management at Kendal College. While at Kendal, he opened the Castle Dairy Restaurant, taking it to 2 AA Rosette status and employing apprentices as part of the College’s apprenticeship finishing school. Robert was recently a member of the hospitality T-Level panel, is currently on the board of PACE, the Professional Association of Catering Education, and is an external expert for hospitality and catering for Ofqual.

James Godwin 

People & Business Administration Director, Harbour Hotels Group

James has spent his entire career in hospitality and catering being an advocate for training and development of those around him. Working within high street restaurant groups, contract caterers and most recently hotels, in both operational and strategic roles, he understands the importance of, and is a passionate advocate of, apprenticeships within the catering and hospitality sector.

James has set up and managed apprenticeship academies in his current and previous role, covering the breadth of available apprenticeships within catering and hospitality. He is specifically keen to encourage young people and those at a disadvantage to get involved within the dynamic world of hospitality. James is also an active Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality and secretary of the southern branch.

Kay Harriman

Senior HR Director UK&I, Hilton

Kay is an accomplished senior executive who has worked at Hilton for more than 30 years. She is a pension trustee and trustee of Springboard Charity, which helps disadvantaged people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life to find a fulfilling career in hospitality, and has held a non-executive role in the public sector.

Kay has extensive experience working at board level in complex and fast-moving international consumer-focused organisations. A skilled people manager, she has a proven track-record of managing transformational and organisational change projects that deliver tangible business results. She is an enthusiastic ambassador for the industry and loves nothing more than demonstrating what makes hospitality a great place to work, showcasing the range of opportunities available and helping individuals to achieve their career ambitions.

James Buckley

Director of Culinary, Levy UK and Ireland

James began his career as a chef apprentice at Lloyd’s of London in 1996. He rose through the culinary ranks, working across a number of catering sectors and businesses. In 2014, he joined Levy as Executive Chef at ExCeL London, home of world-leading events. Three years later, he took on responsibility for Levy’s London sites, moving to his current role as Director of Culinary in 2019. James spearheads menu development, chef development and the introduction of new culinary concepts, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. He prioritises chef progression, ensuring chef apprentices experience working at some of the UK’s biggest sporting and entertainment events.

Passionate about sustainability, James is known for his catchphrase ‘food for today that makes tomorrow possible’, which serves as a guiding principle for him and his team of up to a thousand chefs. Outside the kitchen, James can be found visiting suppliers, evaluating their credentials, and gaining insight into the entire operational process, from source to shipment. One of his proudest achievements is revolutionising the traditional burger by incorporating 50% plant-based proteins and 50% beef, resulting in a significant reduction in carbon emissions across the Levy estate.

Simon Clark

Senior Facilities Manager, Medway NHS Foundation Trust

Simon has a unique blend of 23 years of culinary expertise as a craft chef and 16 years of success in senior management roles. Throughout his career, he has fostered a passion for continuous learning, actively seeking opportunities to refine his culinary skills and develop finely tuned leadership abilities.

Simon has a track record of creating exceptional culinary experiences while fostering high-performing teams that deliver outstanding results. His focus is on improving the lives and experiences of the people he engages with through his work, driven by the aim of enabling his team to be 1% better every day.

Francesca Bradley

Education Programme Manager, HWS Restaurants LTD (Pizza Hut Restaurants)

Francesca has worked in the hospitality sector her entire career, spending 20 years in the hotel and restaurant industry. Whilst working as a Restaurant General Manager, she developed a passion for growing and developing people to achieve their full potential.

After several years in learning and development roles, for the last 10 years Francesca has work as Education Programme Manager at HWS Restaurants LTD (Pizza Hut Restaurants), with overall responsibility for the design, development and delivery of a range of hospitality apprenticeships.

Francesca is passionate about professionalising careers in the hospitality industry, providing opportunities for growth and development for all. Her goal has always been to make people proud to pursue a career in the restaurant/hospitality sector.

Peter Brooks

Director of Learning and Organisational Development, Stonegate Group

Pete began his journey in hospitality and catering by completing an Advanced GNVQ, followed by an HND at Highbury College in Portsmouth. He honed his skills across several renowned private companies, including The Rank Group, Mitchells and Butlers, Compass Group UK & Ireland, and most recently, Stonegate Group, the UK's largest pub retailer, where he now serves as Director of Learning and Organizational Development.

Pete is deeply passionate about helping others learn and believes in providing everyone with the opportunity to develop their skills and achieve their full potential. Alongside his extensive experience in the sector, he brings to the panel an understanding of forward thinking and innovative learning approaches. His dedication to personal development is a driving force behind his work.

Hannah Plumb

Talent and Culture Director, The Alchemist

Hannah is the Talent and Culture Director of The Alchemist, the UK’s leading creative cocktail bar and restaurant business. Established in Manchester in 2010 and renowned for its highly theatrical drinks offer, the group now operates 23 venues in major cities around the UK. The business launched their first international location in Berlin, Germany in 2023.

Hannah oversees all aspects of the employee life cycle, from recruitment and onboarding, through to career development, training, and service delivery. She also looks after community engagement and ED&I and is a strong advocate for mental health.

Tanja Smith OBE FCIAT

Route panel chair

Design Manager at Bowmer and Kirkland.

Tanja has operated across many sectors and in diverse practices on projects spanning international borders, including significant urban regenerations and master planning projects, as well as many buildings. As Technical Director for her previous practice, she played an advisory role in Mongolia’s national ‘Green City’ initiative and BIM Mongolia.

Tanja recently moved from her familiar architectural practice environment to take up the role of Design Manager at Bowmer and Kirkland, where she hopes to round her skills working for a large tier 1 contractor, as well as facilitating and encouraging a variety of apprenticeships and technical education opportunities.

Tanja is an assessor for her professional body, the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT), where she recommends architectural technologist candidates for full Chartership. She was formerly vice chair of the National Association for Women in Construction (NAWIC) Northeast and represented women in the industry on their national board. Tanja was awarded Outstanding Woman in Construction in 2017, received an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2020, and was short listed for the Inspiring Women (Global) award by the Northeast England Chamber Business Awards in 2022. Her most recent achievement was receiving Fellow Status from CIAT for significant contribution to Architectural Technology.

Tanja’s technical background gives her a firm understanding of how buildings work and firsthand experience of issues that arise on site. This drives her passion for closing the skills gap and ensuring robust apprenticeships and technical education products that are fit-for-purpose for the industry.

Martin Dix

Route panel vice-chair

Director, Buildings, Peter Brett Associates now part of Stantec

Martin, a former Partner of Peter Brett Associates LLP now part of Stantec, is a Chartered Structural Engineer responsible for the company’s UK Buildings Group.

Since 2012, Martin has led the company’s role as industry Partner to UTC Reading, enabling students to access industrial experience as part of their education. He also sits on the School’s Board of Governors. His work with the school and the company’s broader corporate social responsibility programme led to the formation of the Peter Brett Foundation CIC in 2019, created to address the national skills shortage in the development and infrastructure industry. Martin is a founding board member. He is also a member of the Institution of Structural Engineers Education Committee and a former Chairman of the IStructE Thames Region Committee.

Having left school at 16, Martin gained his own academic qualifications on a part-time basis, supported by his employers. That has given him a lifelong and genuine passion for promoting the link between industry, schools and apprenticeships.

Lucy Wiltshire BSc FRICS MCIOB

Area Manager, Kier Construction - Oxford

Lucy’s experience of studying a BSc in Quantity Surveying part time at UWE, Bristol, whilst working with a main contractor over 30 years ago, fuelled her passion for championing vocational routes into a career in construction.

In 2017, Lucy joined the Department of Education’s construction panel to develop the content of the T Level in Design, Surveying and Planning. This qualification was one of the first T Levels to be offered in colleges across the UK and is a landmark in the transformation of post-16 qualifications.

Lucy is currently Chair of Constructing Excellence Berkshire, a committee member of Constructing Excellence Oxford and a committee member of CIOB Reading Hub.

Ruth Devine MBE

Managing Director, SJD Associates Ltd

Ruth is Managing Director of SJD Associates, a high-growth SME building services engineering contractor in Milton Keynes and winner of the MK Apprenticeship Awards SME Employer of the Year in 2022.

Ruth is passionate about improving industry skills and promoting apprenticeships and was part of the trailblazer group that developed the electrician apprenticeship standard. She is currently Chair of the Electrotechnical Skills Partnership and Electrical Contractors’ Association Skills Committee, supporting campaigns to encourage diversity and improve industry training standards. Ruth also participates in the Construction Leadership Council’s People & Skills Network and is a volunteer Enterprise Adviser for the Careers and Enterprise Company, working to promote local employer engagement with education and strategic support to help local schools and colleges achieve the Gatsby Benchmarks for career guidance. 

Ruth is an alumna of the Goldman Sach’s 10,000 small business growth programme and achieved an MBA. 

Professor Mukesh Limbachiya

Professor of Civil Engineering, Kingston University London

Mukesh is a Chartered Engineer with a wide-ranging career in the higher education sector. He is currently Head of Apprenticeships at Kingston University, where he has been instrumental in developing the civil engineer degree apprenticeship and is now leading a team responsible for the governance, quality and business of apprenticeships across the University. 

As a civil/structural engineer, Mukesh has a particular interest in novel construction materials, concrete technology and construction, as well as design processes for the modern, sustainable built environment. He has worked closely with different sectors of the construction industry and has a track record of providing expert strategic support on a range of projects and initiatives.

Mukesh has a passion for developing and promoting partnerships that offer creative solutions for addressing knowledge and skills gaps. He brings the same passion to his work as a Route Panel Member. 

Richard Hayes

Professional Consultant to the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE)

Richard was formerly Chief Executive of the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE), from 2016 to 2020, having previously served as President. He is now lead trainer and assessor for its National Highway Engineering Academy.​

Richard is a chartered engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Highway Engineers. Prior to taking up his current role, he worked as a freelance engineering and training consultant and was the Western Area Manager for Northumberland County Council’s Local Service Department and Construction Division, leading on delivery of capital works on highways structure and street lighting. Richard’s move to Northumberland followed 25 years working in highways maintenance for Stockton on Tees Borough Council, where he progressed through various roles from Senior Technician to Highway Services Manager.

Denis Richard

Head of Project Management, Energy Systems Catapult

Denis is Head of Project Management at Energy Systems Catapult – an independent, not-for-profit centre of excellence set up to accelerate the transformation of the UK’s energy system. He is passionate about decarbonisation and developing solutions to overcome barriers to innovation and is currently leading the Catapult study on Skills for Net-zero. He also heads up the centre’s role in managing the Electrification of Heat programme for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, aimed at better understanding and overcoming barriers to the large-scale roll-out of heat pumps. 

Prior to this, Denis led the Smart Systems and Heat programme, working with hundreds of households and a number of businesses and local authorities to develop real-world evidence on the key challenges facing consumers in the transition to low carbon heating and the potential of existing digital energy services. Before joining the Catapult, Denis spent four years at Intelligent Energy on fuel cells development and over 20 years in the automotive industry.

Andy Adams

Managing Director T3 Industry Solutions and T3 Training and Development Ltd

Andy started his career as a trainee civil structural design technician, gaining academic qualifications whilst working. This fostered his belief in and passion for apprenticeships. He is a big advocate of supporting individuals into his sector through specialist industry-focused training programmes.

With a background in civil/structural engineering and extensive experience in the construction industry, Andy brings a wealth of expertise to his role as managing director of a reinforced concrete design and detailing practice. He also owns a private training business specialising in the construction, engineering and architecture sectors.

Andy has worked on and managed numerous projects, ranging from the reinforcement detailing of power stations, underground tube stations, numerous multi-storey reinforced concrete structures, large steel frame structures, and rail projects through to the design and build of domestic extensions.

Colin Buckle CENG FICE

Associate Technical Director, Arcadis

Colin is a chartered civil engineer with over 20 years’ experience of delivering multi-discipline projects across the construction and built environment sector in a variety of roles for both contractors and consultants. Throughout that time, he has always been a champion for apprentices and, in 2022, won the Northwest National Apprenticeship Awards – Apprentice Champion Award.

Colin’s passion for apprenticeships comes from having worked with apprentices on many projects throughout his career, seeing them create amazing careers for themselves and grow into some of the best engineers and future leaders of the industry. As a line manager of several apprentices in his day job, Colin is living and breathing the experiences of so many others right now. He hopes that will enable him to bring a different view and perspective to the route panel which will allow it to create better apprenticeships.

Kath Geraghty

Route panel chair

Head of Workforce Development, National Theatre

Kath works for the National Theatre on projects designed to improve workforce diversity. Previously, she was a theatre lighting designer and technician, lighting world premieres for Alan Ayckbourn, John Godber, Tim Firth and Enda Walsh, in venues across the UK and Ireland.  

Kath is Co-Chair of the technical training forum Skillscene, and sits on the training committee of the Association of British Theatre Technicians. She is passionate about encouraging young people to learn about technical/backstage theatre and, in particular, supporting young women into technical careers. Many of those she has mentored or trained now work professionally in the creative sector. Kath sees her role on the route panel as building on and continuing this work. 

Phil Warnock

Director/Founder, Ginger Nut Media Ltd

Phil is Director and Founder of Ginger Nut Media Ltd, which he launched in 2011. He left school at 16 with no education beyond Level 2 and went straight into the world of work. Ginger Nut Media is a big supporter of apprenticeships, with apprentices making up 51% of all hires. In 2014, the company added a provider arm, which now trains almost 200 apprentices at some of the largest businesses in the country.

In recognition of his commitment, Phil was asked to become an ambassador for the national apprenticeship scheme and chaired the South East Local Ambassador Network when the apprenticeship levy was being implemented. During this period, he fed into the launch of the Institute for Apprenticeships, regularly spoke at conferences and events sharing best practice and was named a top 100 apprentice employer three times. Phil continues to work with young people in other roles as a STEM ambassador and commercial and personal mentor for the Prince’s Trust.

Emma Heslewood

Senior Museum Manager, Lancashire County Council

Emma is based in Preston and oversees the operations of six museums and heritage attractions in Lancashire. They are all part of Lancashire’s vibrant cultural services, which include heritage and outdoor learning, libraries, archives and the music service. 

Emma has over 20 years’ experience in museums and cultural heritage working with collections, exhibitions and major projects. She was previously Project Curator at Blackpool Council and played a key part in realising their ambition to create Blackpool’s first museum, Showtown, the museum of fun and entertainment. She was also History Curator at the Grade I listed Harris Library, Museum and Art Gallery in Preston from 2000 until 2014. 

Emma is an active member of the Museums Association, the body that represents people working in museums. She was privileged to support four Museums Association positive-action trainees, two now work as museum curators. Emma joined the Institute to support its aims to create high-quality apprenticeships and T Levels and build an integrated skills system. She believes they offer a real opportunity to attract the young people we need to shape a vibrant future for the cultural sector. 

Jon Winn

Technical Trainer, TAIT & Kinesys

Jon’s career started at his local theatre, learning on the job as part of the technical crew before taking on roles at the National Theatre, Royal Opera House, White Light, ATG and freelancing. Having managed apprentices, he moved into training, gaining experience in work-based learning, further education, higher education, learning and development, qualification development and policy engagement.

Jon is currently Technical Trainer at TAIT & Kinesys, delivering training globally and enabling technicians to support many of the biggest artists and venues across theatre, live events, film and TV. He considers himself to be a continual ‘technical learner’ (an important part of being a trainer). Jon believes passionately in the importance of creative subjects throughout education, the value of creative careers and the imperative of ensuring fair access for all.

Michelle Mackay

Education Director, Bauer Academy

Michelle is the Education Director of the Bauer Academy (part of Bauer Media) responsible for the quality and innovation of training and ensuring all programmes, including apprenticeships, are aligned to changing industry needs.  She teaches innovation strategy, creativity, developing creative cultures and education and training and is passionate about contributing to the evolution of work-based learning.  In her role, she works with a diverse range of employers to co-create apprenticeship programmes.

Prior to joining the Academy, Michelle was a radio producer and worked on some of the UK’s biggest commercial radio networked shows. She also worked in the independent production sector on chart-topping podcasts for The Guardian and Amnesty International. Michelle is a Level 7 qualified coach and has previous teaching experience at colleges and universities in Scotland.  

Shona Marsh

Head of Design and Estimating, Cox London

Shona is Head of Design and Estimating at Cox London, a unique company that crafts high-end luxury furniture and lighting, using a variety of core hand-based skills, such as metal forging, bronze casting and sheet metal work. Shona joined in 2018 and currently sits on the leadership team, steering the company growth. She regularly sources and brings on new crafts suppliers to supplement the offerings of Cox London, working with many individual crafts businesses, from upholstery to glass blowing to stone carving.

Shona's background stems from the jewellery and silversmithing industry. Having classically trained at Birmingham School of Jewellery, she designed and made contemporary silverware for 15 years under her own name before moving inhouse at Cox London. Shona worked with many well-known brands, such as Garrard and Fortnum and Mason, as well as the Royal Engineers, providing design services and creating one-off silver artworks from her workshop.

With a keen interest in training and promoting the crafts, Shona was a core member of the Contemporary British Silversmiths for over five years, later becoming vice chair and steering the group to move from a not-for-profit to a charitable status. She is also a Freeman of the Goldsmiths Company and mentors up-and-coming business on the newly created Business Mentoring Scheme run by the Goldsmith Centre.

Robert Greer

Director, PAYE

Awaiting biography

Tom Morgan

Route panel chair

Tom leads customer technology for Accenture across the UK, Ireland and Africa. He helps brands design, deliver, launch, and scale exceptional products with state-of-the-art technology solutions.

Before joining Accenture, Tom held roles as a Chief Technology Officer, Head of Product Design and Consultant in over ten top FTSE50 firms. He is an expert in digital product design and development, technology leadership, MACH, transformation and culture change.

Tom has a personal connection to technical education that makes him an advocate for apprenticeships and T Levels, having started his career with Apple at the Genius Bar. He is thrilled to be able to play a part in bringing the potential of learning through doing to millions of people across the UK.

Dominic Gill

Director, PPG Consulting Ltd

Dominic is a Director of PPG Consulting Ltd and acts as Skills Policy Consultant to Microsoft UK. He has worked with Microsoft since 2006 and founded Microsoft’s award-winning Apprenticeship Program. 

Dominic is also Managing Director of Intequal, a Microsoft Learning Partner delivering digital apprenticeships and commercial IT training, and co-founder of Franklin Apprenticeships, a US-based apprenticeship consultancy and capacity building organisation. Intequal was initially set up to provide an ‘employer engagement’ function for the Microsoft Program but now offers a remotely delivered, instructor-led apprenticeship. Franklin Apprenticeships is acting as a catalyst to drive quality and scale in US competency-based apprenticeships, using methods and best practice originated in the UK.

Rob Mettler

Partner - public sector digital, PA Consulting

Rob has over 28 years' experience of digital transformation. He currently focuses on re-imagining public and educational services for the digital age with the aim of increasing access and improving user experiences. He has helped launch and run NHS Choices, worked on the delivery of online services like Probate for HMCTS, and is currently re-imagining student and staff experiences and services in higher education. In 1998, Rob was part of the double BAFTA winning Real World digital team at the inaugural British Academy of Film and Television Arts Interactive Entertainment awards.

As an international speaker on digital, Rob explores the value of digital for organisations and the need to transform both inside and outside – meaning changes in governance, technology and organisational structures, as well as the underlying skills of organisations. He is passionate about the need for digital skills and capability development and currently leads early careers digital apprenticeships at PA.

Pashminder Jugpal

Head of IT, The Myton Hospices

Pash is Head of IT at The Myton Hospices based in Warwickshire and Coventry. He has been in post for 12 years, but has been working in the IT industry since the late 1990s. Pash has a wide range of experience in different parts of the industry, including robotics programming in the manufacturing sector and server support in the digital sector. He has also owned his own IT support company.

During his time at The Myton Hospices, Pash has developed and implemented a digital strategy that has transformed Myton from a predominately paper-based organisation to a more corporate style, digital organisation that runs the hospice more efficiently, providing better value for money for financial donors. He has also developed a team to support and maintain those systems. Pash shares the best practices developed at Myton Hospice with other local and national charities.

Pash is passionate about bringing people from all backgrounds in to IT and excited by the opportunity to bring that same passion to the work of the route panel.

Sarah Hague

Chief Operating Officer, BlackDice Cyber 

Sarah is Chief Operating Officer at BlackDice Cyber, a start-up in its third year specialising in enterprise grade cyber defence solutions to telecoms operator subscribers.  Previously, she was Senior Transformation Leader at PwC, responsible for setting the strategic direction of UK and global technology investments to transform internal business capabilities.  At PwC, Sarah co-designed a new IT operating model which embedded Agile ways of working and product management capabilities.  She has led teams of process, data, tech and UX specialists to deliver a £20 million roadmap of Cloud transformation.   

Sarah’s passion for education and supporting social mobility stems from over ten years working on national 14-19 qualifications reform and strategy development within higher education. She previously managed the 14-19 Diploma Programme at the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, and developed learning and teaching strategy, policies, and quality assurance frameworks at the University of Sheffield, where she was also Business Visionary for a new personal and academic tutoring system.  Sarah completed her Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education at the University of Sheffield and became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.  

Empowering people though education has been a central theme throughout Sarah’s 20-year career history, and she feels privileged to be able to combine her digital and educational experience as a member of the digital route panel.

Matthew Forshaw

National Skills Lead, The Alan Turing Institute, and a Senior Lecturer, Newcastle University

Matt is National Skills Lead to The Alan Turing Institute and a Senior Lecturer in Data Science at Newcastle University. His work in AI skills includes collaborating with the government on the skills pillar of the National Data Strategy, leadership of skills policy initiatives through the Data Skills Taskforce, and developing national curriculum standards with the Alliance of Data Science Professionals.

He is passionate about democratising access to, and widening participation in, education which meets current and future workforce needs.

Joann Mccann

Director of Technology for Europe, Unilever

With over 20 years’ experience in the consumer goods industry, Jo is a resourceful and creative leader in information technology, delivering complex change and transformation programmes. She has held a variety of roles at Unilever and is currently Technology Director for Europe, responsible for the European IT strategy and operational running of technology to support all business functions. Jo has led several global digital implementations for Unilever working with technology partners including SAP, Salesforce and Microsoft. She is passionate about the importance of building digital skills and providing career opportunities for the next generation.

Jo has championed many initiatives to improve diversity and inclusion in the tech industry and is proud to have been involved in shifting the gender balance at Unilever. She was Chair of the Technology Management Graduate programme for Unilever UK from 2012 to 2017 and has been actively involved in recruiting and mentoring apprentices in digital roles. She is excited to have the opportunity to bring her skills and expertise to the route panel.

Richard Beck

Director of Cyber, QA Ltd 

Richard is an experienced security professional, turned educator, with over 15 years in operational security roles. He is driven by a commitment to helping the UK to address immediate and longer-term cyber skills shortages and bring a more diverse range of individuals and experiences into cyber through eco-system collaboration.

Richard pioneered the original cyber apprentice ‘fast track’ programme with HMG to establish successful L4 cyber apprentice opportunities. He is passionate about making a difference through technical education that equips individuals from all backgrounds with tomorrow’s digital skills to maximise their potential and succeed in the workplace.

Hollie Whittles

Information Security & HR Director, Purple Frog Systems

Hollie is a passionate advocate for digital skills and apprenticeships. She is an award-winning TEDx speaker, author and director of two digital companies - Purple Frog Systems and FraggleWorks. She is also the National Policy Skills Champion for the Federation of Businesses (FSB).

 Having originally read business studies at university, Hollie completed a Level 5 apprenticeship some 25 years later in her own organisation, using it as an opportunity to upskill her existing knowledge. As well as employing apprentices,  she now has first-hand experience!

Hollie joined the digital route panel in 2023, seeing it as an opportunity to bring the small business voice to the table. She is keen to help break down barriers and ensure that the digital skills needed by all sizes of business are accessible to bridge the skills gap and digital divide.

Rebecca King (Plant)

UK Apprentice Lead, Microsoft

Becky is the UK Apprentice Lead at Microsoft, a role she has held since July 2018. She is responsible for developing and delivering Microsoft's apprenticeship strategy and programmes, which aim to bridge the digital skills gap and create opportunities for young people across the country, as well as supporting customers and partners with the external Microsoft Apprenticeship Network.

Becky has over 10 years of experience in the apprenticeship sector and is passionate about unlocking potential and empowering talent through apprenticeships. She believes that collaboration is key to addressing the need for digital skills in the workforce and connecting individuals to opportunities. She is also an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the technology sector, and strives to make Microsoft a place where everyone can thrive.

Franki Lake

Senior Proposition Manager, tails.com

Franki is the Senior Proposition Manager at tails.com, driving customer satisfaction and growth through service design, innovation, and new business units. A career highlight was launching and growing Republic of Cats in 2020.

With a mechanical engineering degree, Franki found her niche launching digital products and services using a design-first approach, initially at Accenture Digital, then SPARCK, before moving in-house at tails.com. Her projects have ranged from drone registration to customer service chatbots and blood testing services.

Franki is passionate about supporting a system that helps individuals from diverse backgrounds and those who benefit from alternative learning approaches gain the digital skills needed for the workforce.

Professor Jean-Noel Ezingeard

Route panel chair

Vice-Chancellor, University of Roehampton

Jean-Noël has held board and advisory positions with Warrington and Halton NHS Trust, Henley Management College, Richmond upon Thames College and the Association of Business Schools. He has also worked on a number of business-academia steering groups with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, and the Office for Students. He is a board member for the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) and University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC). 

 Jean-Noël is a graduate of École Centrale de Lille, where he studied Engineering Systems, followed by postgraduate study at Brunel University London, where he also studied for his PhD in Information Systems. His research expertise is in systems and processes management with a focus on the social aspect of information systems management (including information security). 

Mary Murphy

Route panel vice-chair

Principal/CEO, Riverside College, Widnes and Runcorn (Halton)

After a successful career as a general manager in the travel and tourism industry, Mary changed paths and became a teacher in post-16 education. Twenty two years later, she is Principal of Riverside College, Widnes and Runcorn (Halton).

Mary is passionate about vocational education and her own career path is testament to this; she left school at 16 to study Hospitality and Catering Institutional Management at Nelson and Colne College and then Huddersfield Polytechnic.

Mary has a wealth of industrial and educational experience. Every day, alongside her team of teaching, support and training staff, she invests that experience in young people and adults to ensure they have the best opportunities to fulfil their potential.

Professor Eunice Lumsden

Head of Childhood, Youth and Families, University of Northampton

Alongside her role as Head of Childhood, Youth and Families at the University of Northampton, Eunice is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a registered social worker. 

Eunice spent over 20 years specialising in safeguarding and adoption before entering higher education with a personal mission to raise the profile of early childhood. She has extensive experience in advising on workforce development and qualifications nationally and internationally.  She contributed to the external reference groups for Early Years Professional Status and Early Years Teacher Status standards and was on the expert group for the Early Years Level 2 qualification. Her research interests include the professionalisation of the early childhood workforce, child maltreatment, poverty and adoption. 

Dr Paul Elmer

Associate Head of College, University of Westminster

Paul is Associate Head of College at the University of Westminster, where he is responsible for improving teaching in a business school that has the most diverse student body in the UK.

Paul’s university leadership spans communications and business faculties and his commitment to students and to teaching is evidenced by a strong focus on staff development as a route to better curriculum design, better teaching and social relevance. In 2005, in recognition of his innovation in vocational education, he became a National Teaching Fellow.

Paul advises on academic development internationally, particularly in relation to education that delivers social mobility and specialises in the future of work in his own research. He brings to the panel a clear focus on emerging markets for knowledge, skills and people, and the tools needed to meet those challenges.

Gareth Alcott

Apprenticeship Development Lead, River Learning Trust and Head of School, Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust

Following a number of years as a Design Engineer for Rolls Royce, Gareth has worked in the education sector for over 20 years as a teaching assistant, teacher, headteacher and system leader. He also spent three years as a Programme Director for the National College of Education, an apprenticeship provider, supporting schools and system leaders. 

As a teaching school director, Gareth led the professional development portfolio for over 300 schools across Oxfordshire. He was also the Oxfordshire teacher recruitment lead, engaging senior leaders, headteachers and CEOs at a local and national level. Gareth has worked in a variety of settings, including primary, middle and secondary, as well as in an international school. He is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching (FCCT) and a member of the Federation for Education Development (FED) Leadership Council.

Dr Fern-Chantele Carter

Director of Awarding, Responsible and Accountable Officers, RSL Awards

Fern is a commercially astute strategic leader, with over 25 years’ experience in education, covering all levels and a wide range of sectors areas. Since completing her doctorate in neuropsychopedagogy at Brunel University, she has worked at a large Greater London FE college, at UCL on the sounds of intent project, at Gloucestershire University, where she wrote an MA in inclusive education and was a senior lecturer on PGCE courses, and as a mentor for doctoral students at The Open University and Brunel University.

Within the awarding sector, Fern has been involved in the development of qualifications and assessments across a variety of sector and subject areas and worked in quality assurance and compliance with a number of awarding bodies, including Ofqual, ABE, and REC and RSL Awards. She is also active in providing input into policy directions in the four devolved nations. Fern is currently at the internationally renowned Creative and Performing Arts Awarding Body RSL Awards. She is a Chartered Manager and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Managers and is the Deputy Chair of their Regulatory and Compliance Board.

Fern is a trustee for SEND unlocked, a Royal Parks Ranger, and is passionate about the provision of excellence in academic, technical, Vocational and Skills education that excites and prepares all learners for their futures.

Lynsey Meakin

Lecturer in Education, University of Derby

After qualifying as a teacher, Lynsey spent nearly 15 years in further education colleges planning, delivering and assessing a variety of subjects and qualifications. This included technical and vocational qualifications such as CACHE childcare qualifications, BTEC health and social care qualifications, City and Guilds education and training qualifications, and the new T Level technical qualifications. She is currently a Senior Lecturer in Education in the Institute of Education at the University of Derby, delivering undergraduate and postgraduate initial teacher training and education, to full-time on-campus Beginning Teachers as well as remotely to part-time students internationally.

Lynsey is passionate about education, teaching and learning and is a lifelong learner – her ethos is ‘I will run out of life before I run out of learning’. Her keen interest in all aspects of education is especially focused on innovative and creative learning, teaching and assessment. It is Lynsey’s goal to assist in ensuring that outstanding teaching, learning and assessment experiences are available and accessible to all.

Jennifer Walker

Head of Apprenticeships and Employer Engagement, Bolton College

Jennifer is the Head of Apprenticeships and Business Development at Bolton College. Following a number of years working as an early years practitioner and teacher in the education and childcare sector, Jennifer moved into further education with a view to supporting the future early years workforce, teaching early years qualifications and leading the Early Years, Education and Social Sciences department ay Bolton College. During this time, Jennifer achieved a Masters degree in Childhood Studies and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education, Leadership and Management.

Reflecting her passion for early years, its workforce and the qualifications available for people to study and achieve, Jennifer progressed to the Head of Apprenticeships and Business Development. She has a big interest in apprenticeships and technical education after leading the delivery of the standards and T Level for education and childcare. Her key focus is on the importance of ensuring students and apprentices complete their courses with the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to be work-ready to enter the industry and become outstanding practitioners.

Jo Heard-Jones

Chief Executive, Shaw Education Trust

Jo is Chief Executive of the Shaw Education Trust, which comprises primary, secondary and specialist academies across the Midlands and the North West.

She joined the Trust from Ofsted, where she worked as Regional Director in the North West and National Director for Initial Teacher Education, holding the status of Her Majesty's Inspector. Prior to that, she undertook three secondary headships and worked extensively in a strategic role in the Greater Manchester Challenge.

Jo has delivered programmes for the National College for School Leadership, worked with many local authorities, and provided advice to the Department for Education. She was a National Leader of Education and is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, working to generate capacity and talent within the profession. Jo regularly contributes to conferences, training programmes and networks to support leadership development. She is also a Trustee of Ambition Institute.

June O’Sullivan, OBE

Chief Executive – London Early Years Foundation (LEYF)

As CEO and creator of the UK's leading childcare social enterprise, June continues to break new ground in the development of LEYF's scalable social business model. She remains a tireless campaigner, looking for new ways to influence policy and make society a better place for all children and families.

June developed the LEYF pedagogy and champions community-based, multi-generational early years education as the basis for greater social and cultural capital to deliver long-term social impact. She continues to advise governments as well as a range of organisations, academics and services at home and overseas about how best to implement a social enterprise vision for early years.

June is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Trustee of The Book Trust, and her local library, Upper Norwood Library Trust. She is currently a member of the London Mayor’s Advisory Group on Child Healthy Weight and the Mayor’s Skills Partnership Board. She is also a member of the Future of Westminster Commission. June was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2013 for her services to London’s children and, in September 2023, it was announced that she had been awarded an OBE by His Majesty the King for her services to education.

Steve Wallis

Executive Director, Quality NCG

Steven has over 20 years' of experience in further education and skills, in a variety of teaching, managing and leadership roles. Prior to his work in education, Steven worked in the manufacturing industry as a project engineer. He holds degree and postgraduate qualifications in engineering, teaching, and business management, and is additionally trained in lean sigma by the prestigious Juran Institute.

Andy Wolfe

Executive Director of Education for the Church of England

Andy is Executive Director of Education for the Church of England and oversees the programmes, networks and research of the Church of England Foundation for Educational Leadership (www.cefel.org.uk) working with thousands of school leaders across the UK, particularly through the Church of England’s role as a large lead provider of national professional qualification programmes. He is committed to combining rich theological reflection with evidence-informed approaches to improving teaching, learning and leadership in schools. He has authored many of the Church of England’s educational leadership resources, including pioneering the ‘Called, Connected, Committed’ leadership framework (2020) and ‘Flourishing Together: A Christian Vision for Students, Educators and Schools’ (2021) and ‘Our Hope for a Flourishing Schools System: Deeply Christian, Serving the Common Good’ (2023).

Andy also oversees the Church of England’s ‘Growing Faith’ national work in relation to faith development in schools, churches and households, the Archbishops’ Young Leaders Award, a range of national policy briefs, working closely with dioceses, MATs, universities and FE colleges across the country, including the development of large-scale apprenticeship programmes for hundreds of colleagues across the national Flourishing Trusts Network of MATs.

Tracey Roberts

Director, Tiddlywinks Ltd

Tracey is the owner and director of Tiddlywinks childcare Ltd, based in North Yorkshire. She started her career in nursing, before moving to the world of pharmaceuticals, where she specialised in enteral feeding for paediatrics. This started her passion for early years and early education. She opened her first nursery in 2004.

Tracey has a wealth of early years’ experience. She sits on the board of governance for York Learning, looking at the strategic development of adult learning locally, as well as the quality of teaching and course content. She also sits on the York Schools Forum and local authority reference groups for sustainability and quality and participated in the most recent EYFS pilot inspection schemes, looking at inspection criteria for Ofsted.

Tracey is passionate about the impact vocational education has in this sector and the need for it to be quality driven and accessible to all. She is a vocal advocate for apprentices, driven to ensure learners complete their qualification so that they enter the workforce as knowledgeable, confident, quality-driven early years educators.

Graham Honeyman

Route panel chair

Managing Director, Sarach Steel Technologies Ltd 

After gaining BSc (Hons) and MSc degrees in Engineering Materials Technology at the University of Aston, Graham was awarded a PhD from Teesside University. He went on to build a distinguished career, including a significant period at Sheffield Forgemasters, which he joined as Technical Director in 1988.  He later led a management buyout of the company and was appointed Chief Executive in 2005. Graham left Sheffield Forgemasters in 2021 having set up his own consultancy, Sarach Steel Technologies Ltd, which he now runs as Managing Director

Graham has won multiple awards, notably a Winston Churchill Medal for his study of supercritical steam turbine technology, a silver medal from the Royal Academy of Engineering for outstanding contribution to British engineering, the Bessemer Gold Medal and, in 2008, a CBE for his work in preserving and developing heavy steelmaking and engineering industry in Sheffield. In 2010, he was named Global Director of the Year in the Institute of Directors’ Director of the Year Awards and, in 2013, voted the International Person of the Year at the Youth Business International International Business Awards and named CEO Of the Year at the national Private Business Awards. In that same year, Graham was made an Honorary Professor of Strategic Management at Sheffield University Management School and awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration at Teesside University.

Nicola Johnson FIMechE

Route panel vice-chair

Founder and Director, NMJ Risk Consulting 

Nicola is a chief engineer and recognised leader in the European energy industry. She has an outstanding track record in project management for more than £100m of national infrastructure investment in the UK. Most recently, she was Chief Engineer and Director of Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) at energy supplier E.ON UK, managing lighting and heating for millions of customers. 

Nicola is dedicated to supporting the development of future leaders and is actively involved in fostering junior engineers in establishing their careers and supporting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) activities in the wider community. She is a keen promoter of organisational wellbeing, with a strong focus on improving outcomes for people and businesses and on keeping them safe, secure and supported.  

Bob Barnes FIMI MIoD

Managing Director, Motortrade Consultants Ltd

Bob has worked in the motor industry for some 53 years. He started his career in engineering in 1966, before moving into sales and then management and reaching board-level at the age of 37, when he was appointed to the role of Sales and Marketing Director. 

He worked closely with Toyota in the nineties, including a period as National Dealer Council Chairman. He also worked with the Institute of the Motor Industry (the professional association for individuals working in the sector) on the development of GNVQs. During this time, Bob was made a Fellow of the Institute. In 2003, he saw a niche in the market and set up Motortrade Consultants, assisting and coaching managers to meet the newly launched Manufacturers Standards.

Alongside his motor industry experience, Bob is also a children’s author. His first book was published in November 2017; his second is due out later this year.

Dr Brian Counter

Technical Director, UK Permanent Way Institution (Engineering Council Licensed Institution)

Brian started his career as a graduate at British Rail in 1979, progressing to become a senior Track and Civil Engineer. Following privatisation, he became Balfour Beatty Regional Director of Rail Maintenance for Midland Main Line, before joining the Civil Service as the Track Adviser to the Rail Regulator. In 2004, he took up post as a General Manager at Carillion Rail and, from 2006 to 2015, was  Head of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the University of Derby. Alongside his current role as Technical Director at the UK Permanent Way Institution (PWI), Brian also works for the University of Derby as a Senior Lecturer and Apprentice Curriculum Consultant.

Brian has served as member of a number of technical committees for Railway Engineering Conferences

and International Rail Conferences and is also chair and a member of Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and PWI panels. His wide-ranging research includes 12 publications on railway maintenance, life extension, ballast sustainability and climate change.

Brian has a PhD in Railway Systems from the University of South Wales, MBA and PGPLT from the University of Derby, and a BSc (Hons) Civil and Environmental Engineering from Newcastle University. He is a Chartered Engineer and fellow of ICE, PWI and the Higher Education Academy (HEA).

John Warden

Managing Director, Quintilian Ltd

John was formerly Chief Executive of the Nuclear Institute, a professional membership organisation, and served in the Royal Navy (RN) for over 20 years as a submariner, engineer and training manager. During his Navy career, he was responsible for RN education and apprenticeships policy and implementing training standards across the RN and parts of defence. 

John now works as a consultant, specialising in board-level advice and support in strategic education and training across the engineering and defence sectors. As well as being a Route Panel Member, he is a member of the Institute of Directors’ Accreditation and Standards Committee and also runs a professional photography studio.

John is a graduate of Oxford and London Universities, a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and Nuclear institute, and a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Physicist. He is also a member of the Master Photographers Association and Institute of Directors and a Trustee of the Aston Martin Heritage Trust.

Lisa Bingley

Operations Director, MIRA Technology Institute

Lisa joined the MIRA Technology Institute as Operations Director after 20 years working in the automotive engineering sector. She started her career as a toolmaking apprentice before moving on to become a technician apprentice with Ivertech/Magnesium Services Ltd, where she progressed to project engineer. While studying for a degree in engineering at Brunel University, Lisa completed an industrial placement at Daewoo and subsequently joined the HORIBA MIRA graduate programme, moving through a range of roles, from safety integration engineer to programme manager.

Lisa is a Chartered Engineer and works in a voluntary capacity for the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, currently as chair of the automotive events programme committee and vice chair of the automotive division board. She is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) ambassador for Warwickshire, working with local schools to set up Imagineering clubs (where pupils work on practical engineering projects) and acting as a judge at the finals of the Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair. Lisa sees the collaboration of industry and education as key to delivering the specialist skills development that is vital to the future of the automotive and transport sectors.

Alan Poole BSc, CEng, FIET

Chief Engineer, Amentum Energy & Environment

Alan is an apprentice-trained Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). He has over 40 years’ experience working in the design of electrical, control, instrumentation and safety systems in a variety of industries ranging from nuclear through to heavy and fine chemical, automotive, medical and fast-moving consumer goods.

Alan is the Chief Engineer and technical lead for Amentum’s Energy & Environment International nuclear business. He has overall responsibility for the technical leadership of engineers, scientists, technicians, project managers, construction and commissioning resources involved in the delivery of systems in the nuclear industry. Alan has a broad knowledge of all aspects of nuclear technology, covering the whole of the nuclear fuel cycle, including the design of advanced reactors and decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

Alan’s core expertise is in electrical, control and instrumentation systems design and he has supported the development of national and international nuclear standards and guides (BSi, IEC) by sitting on standards development committees. In 2019, he was awarded the National Skills Academy for Nuclear Subject Matter Expert of the year award.

Alan is passionate about STEM education and actively supports early career development. He was inspired to join the route panel by a strongly held belief that apprenticeships are fundamental in the development of a highly skilled workforce and a personal desire to play a part in supporting their development.

Ruth Ginever

Director, Manufacturing Engineering – GKN Aerospace

Ruth studied mechanical engineering at the University of Bristol and started her career in the high-volume manufacturing environment of the car industry, learning from external consultancies and industry professionals about lean manufacturing. This gave her the experience needed to make the leap to the aerospace industry, fulfilling the role of Internal Consultant in a wide variety of manufacturing, assembly and service environments, making improvements stick on the front-line.

Wanting to get closer to her engineering roots, Ruth subsequently moved into manufacturing engineering leadership roles, focusing initially on product delivery before becoming Operational Manager of a large global manufacturing engineering team. She then went on to provide senior technical leadership on industrialisation and led a global business unit team integrating design for manufacture, new product introduction and manufacturing technology across a diverse portfolio of products. Ruth recently took up a new role as Director of Manufacturing Engineering for five Defence Aerospace manufacturing sites across the UK and the Netherlands.    

Manoj Vadher

Senior Program Manager, Innovation and Engineering, Amazon

Manoj works in innovation and engineering at Amazon, covering the UK and Europe. He is responsible for innovative automation solutions to solving complex business problems and improving operational productivity. Before joining Amazon, Manoj worked for 30 years at Royal Mail, leading the strategic engineering direction for parcels and letters automation.  While at Royal Mail, he created an industry-leading talent development pathway in engineering. The success of the programme inspired him to get more involved with apprenticeship developments.

Manoj holds a BEng honours degree in electronics engineering, the ECUK professional qualification of Incorporated Engineer, and a master’s in managing in technology-based industry. He was named apprentice of the year for his Senior Leader Apprenticeship Level 7 master’s studies.

Manoj is active in encouraging more women to enter the engineering profession and works with schools and other organisations to promote STEM subjects and inspire young talent to become future engineers, scientists and leaders in the industry.

Derek Davies

Organisational Capability Lead, EDF Energy

Derek (Del) joins IfATE from EDF Energy Nuclear New Build. He has been part of the Hinkley Point C project since 2015. He started his engineering career in the British Army, joining the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as an aircraft apprentice at the age of 16. Throughout his Army career, Del has gained experience in the mechanical discipline on Army helicopters, including Apache, Lynx, Wildcat, Gazelle, Scout and fixed wing experience on the Islander as well as UAVs, Dessert Hawk and Hermes 450. For three years, he instructed and lead the Advanced Engineering Department of the School of Aeronautical Engineering, instructing apprentices, pilots and engineering officers.

Del’s final years in the Army were spent in the Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation, where he developed and delivered a programme for the Airworthiness Review Certificate, establishing the baseline for all Army Lynx helicopters. He was awarded a Commendation from the Joint Helicopter Commander (Army, Navy, RAF) for his work on this. He retired from service in 2015 as a Warrant Officer Class 2, having served in Iraq, Bosnia, Northern Ireland, and Afghanistan as well as undertaking tours in Cyprus, Australia, Canada, Belize, Israel and Germany.

At EDF Del has worked as part of the training team, delivering Advanced Behaviours for Leadership courses before moving in to the Organisational Learning Team to work on managing lessons learned. From there, he spent two years managing the competency framework before moving to the Organisational Capability Team to manage apprentices and science and engineering graduates.

Tim Gillies MBE, CEng, FIMechE

Commandant of the Defence School of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering

Tim holds a BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from Birmingham University and an MSc in Advanced Information Systems. Employed in the military, he has served across the world in engineering roles which span airborne, armoured, mechanised and aviation capabilities.

Over the years, Tim has worked in operational support, training, policy, safety, assurance, capability and acquisition roles. As an aircraft engineer, he has worked as a Chief Air Engineer across all tiers of military aviation. He is Commandant of the Defence School of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, delivering technical training for the Royal Navy, Army and RAF. Tim is focused on doing the best for all engineers, so considers it an absolute privilege to work with IfATE as a route panel member.

Colonel Nick Sharples CEng, FIMechE

Chief Engineer (Army), British Army

Nick is the Army’s chief land engineer, the culmination of over 30 years in the Army, primarily in the Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. As Chief of the General Staff’s Service Advisor and the Army Competent Advisor and Inspectorate for the maintenance of any equipment which does not fly, he is responsible for Army land maintenance policy and assurance. He is also the Deputy Head of the Army’s Engineering Profession and provides the Army’s interface into the Defence Engineering Champion, helping to steer the Defence Engineering Profession.

Nick completed a BEng in Aeronautical Engineering before joining the Army and, more recently, an MSc in Military Vehicle Technology. He is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and a Professional Review Interviewer for the Institution.

Kelly Shaw

Route panel co chair

Salon Business Coach and Founder of k:SPA

Kelly has over 30 years of industry experience, having excelled as a Spa Director for renowned luxury groups like The Four Seasons and Shangri-La, and as a Senior Educator for Dermalogica. As the founder of Hampshire’s award-winning salon k:SPA, Kelly has spent the past 16 years perfecting a salon-meets-spa experience driven by trust, respect, and a self-managing team. Her innovative leadership fosters a positive, dynamic atmosphere, inspiring growth and collaboration.

Kelly’s passion for empowering others led her to coaching salon owners and managers and authoring the book How to Make Your Salon Work, So You Don’t Have To! She shares her proven strategies to help others achieve freedom and sustainable success in salon management.

Kelly joins the panel as co-chair. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to apply her commitment to education and raising industry standards to ensuring the future skills needs of the sector are met.

Jamie Mettyear

Route panel co chair

Director - Mettyears Day Spa and Salon

Jamie has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the hair, beauty and aesthetics sector, having started out as an apprentice and spent 15 years in the industry. He now owns a very successful salon/spa in the seaside town of Herne Bay, where he has quickly gained recognition for setting the benchmark for the modern-day salon.

Jamie attributes his success to excellent customer service as a business standard and a focus on encouraging individual growth through the salon’s apprenticeship scheme and further education opportunities. Jamie and his salon team have won countless awards, from 5* customer service to a top 10 position in the Department for Education’s list of the 50 leading SME apprenticeship employers. Jamie is currently vice president of the National Hair and Beauty Federation, helping support and make positive changes for the industry.  

Rebecca O'Farrell

Training Director, Yorkshire College of Beauty

Rebecca has worked in the beauty industry for over 25 years, having originally qualified as an osteopath.  After graduating, she worked in and managed a number of salons, before opening her own.

On completing a teaching degree, Rebecca spent time in the further education sector before joining the Yorkshire College of Beauty. In her current role she has led the development of a successful apprenticeship programme, working closely with examination boards and HABIA (the government approved standards setting body for hair, beauty, nails and spa) to create the apprenticeship qualification. The programme now delivers training to over 150 beauty therapy apprentices. 

Rebecca’s professional goal is to ensure high standards continue to be delivered to all apprentices, generating a highly skilled and professional beauty therapy workforce.

Charlotte Mensah

Owner and Creative Director, Hair Lounge

Charlotte is a multi-award-winning British/Ghanaian hairstylist. She is highly respected within her profession and is a beauty industry authority on natural textured and mixed heritage Afro hair.

In a career that spans close to three decades, Charlotte has consulted for a number of prestigious global hair care brands, including L’Oreal and GHD, and won numerous accolades in hair and business. She is the first black female hairdresser to enter HJ’s Hall of Fame after winning British Hairdressing Awards Afro Hairstylist of the Year three times.

Charlotte and her eponymous brand have been featured extensively in numerous prestigious publications, including Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Tatler and Glamour. She was recently profiled on ‘The Elle List’, a feature that celebrates ‘the game changers reframing the world of fashion, beauty, culture, politics and tech’.

Sarah Byrne

Founder of Butterflies Beauty Retreat

Sarah developed a passion for the beauty industry in 1996, when she gained her first qualification in fashion, theatre, photography and clinical makeup. She went on to do a two-year study in beauty, aesthetics and physiatrics, picking up an impressive array of qualifications from all the leading bodies, gaining distinctions and being nominated student of the year along the way.

Sarah filled what little spare time she had working in the industry, broadening her experience and extending her training in beauty and aesthetics. She went on to create a beauty business for a hairdresser and become an educator for a leading nail company. By 2000, she was the manager of what became an award-winning spa.

In 2004, Sarah created Butterflies Beauty Retreat, a successful business with outstanding client satisfaction ratings. Sarah believes education, training and experience are key to continued success and completes numerous training days each year to keep up to date, enthusiastic and in the know.

Mandy Mcmullen

National Training Manager, Kleek Apprenticeships (formally Saks Apprenticeships)

Mandy has worked in the hairdressing industry for over 30 years, since leaving school and undertaking a government Youth Training Scheme (YTS) in the late 1980s. She worked for several independent salons before securing a position with Regis, where she not only managed salons, but realised her passion for teaching and training. In 2001, Mandy was appointed as the first hairdressing apprenticeship educator at Saks Education. In 2006, she played an instrumental role in the team’s success in being awarded grade ones during inspection and Beacon Status for excellence in training and standards.

Mandy is now Saks’ Apprenticeships National Training Manager and manages a team of educators delivering apprenticeships across 400 salons and two academies.  Prior to joining the route panel, she sat on the apprenticeship trailblazer panel and contributed to Hair and Beauty Industry Authority (HABIA) expert working groups to develop national occupational standards. Mandy still spends time on the salon floor across the network of Saks Hair and Beauty salons, keeping her hairdressing skills very much up to date.

Ian Harrold

Owner Attitude Men's Hair

Ian established his first company, Traditions Barber Shop, in 1996, when he was just 21, with a grant from The Princes Trust. In 2003, he diversified into men’s grooming and opened a men’s salon called Attitude, offering a wide range of services tailored to the needs of the modern man. That same year, he also became an educator for American Crew and, in 2004, joined the global Allstar Education Team. 

Ian has taught the Menswork Method in Europe and America and, in 2008, won the American Crew All Star Educator of the Year award. He has also competed around the UK and internationally as part of the British Men’s Technical Team for the NHBF

Ian continues to be part of the American Crew Allstar Artistic team and was part of the cutting team for the American Crew 25-year anniversary show in New York.  He has also been a judge for the American Crew Allstar Challenge photographic competition and for the Modern Barber magazine awards.

Ian gained his Professional Diploma of Education in 2012. He uses this to personally train his own apprentices and employees to ensure they all meet his high standards of precision and quality.

Marta Teixeira

CliniHair, Trichologist and Dermatology Specialist Nurse

Marta is a Certified Trichologist (specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of hair and scalp conditions) and Dermatology Specialist Nurse in the NHS who is currently studying for an MSc in Clinical Dermatology. She has successfully completed the Fundamentals of Hair Science and Hair Claims course by TRI Princeton, a leading global centre for hair and cosmetic science research, as well as the Independent Prescribing Postgraduate course, making her the first Nurse Prescribing Trichologist in the UK, enabling her to prescribe medication in her specialised field.

Marta was appointed as a Hair Expert for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) for the Department for Education in London as a member of the Route Panel for Hair and Beauty, where she is responsible for providing expert recommendations on the technical and scientific content of hair education courses and standards. She has also been recently appointed for the board of the Trichology Standards Authority (TSA) in order to help improve the standards of Trichological education in the UK. Marta is also a Chair Specialist Trichologist of a platform called Grand Rounds and Journal Club for the International Trichology Congress for discussing treatments, protocols and hair loss cases that aims to increase collaboration between hair loss practitioners and discuss diagnostic and treatment protocols to promote good practice and collegiality in clinical settings in the UK.

She has written clinical review articles on hair science, published in the Dermatology Nursing Journal, and is a member of different organisations such as the European Hair Research Society, British Association of Hair Restoration Surgery, British Dermatological Nursing Group and many others. Marta also serves as a medical reviewer, specialising in hair science and trichology-related dermatology articles. She also works as an online curly hair educator in Portugal, explaining hair science mainly via Instagram posts, with frequent one-to-one online hair consultations, haircare education courses, media quotes and public speaking. Marta provides Trichology Consultations for consultations for individuals dealing with hair loss at CliniHair in Hampshire.

Katy White

Capellis Birmingham Ltd/Solihull College, Salon Owner/Lecturer

Katy has worked in the hair industry for 15 years. She started as a salon junior, worked her way through various roles and went on to own Capellis Birmingham Ltd for ten years. After taking on an apprentice in her business and training them to a high standard, she discovered a passion for education and for shaping hairdressers of the future. She completed her teacher and assessor training qualification and took up a post at a further education college teaching apprentices and full-time students.

Having seen first-hand both sides of the industry – as a trainer and practitioner – Katy joined the route panel to help bridge gaps in available skills and make this ever-growing sector the best it can possibly be.  Katy still works on the salon floor to keep her own skills up to date and on a par with current-day standards. 

Jacqui McIntosh

Jacqui is a globally renowned salon hairstylist, artistic educator, platform artist, qualified teacher, assessor, internal verifier, award-winning educator and trichologist. Her impressive career spans three decades and she is often referred to as the all-knowing “authority of textured hair and its business”.

Jacqui has influenced the hair industry across Europe as well as generations of hairdressers across the globe. At Francesco Group, she worked with some of the largest hairdressing groups in the UK. She was Director of Francesco Group Birmingham Hair Academy, heading up their excessively curly hair centre of excellence, and the extraordinary Education Director for Avlon Industries (Europe).

In 2017, Jacqui became an independent end-point assessment examiner for the Hair Professional Standards with VTCT, joining the company full-time in 2019 as the Apprenticeship Business Development Manager. She was recently celebrated as an industry pioneer for British Afro hairdressing as part of Black History Month.

Carla Hales

Managing Director, Debut Academy

Carla has been deeply passionate about the beauty industry since opening her first salon in 1999. In 2004, she expanded into education, starting as a private educator, before launching her own private training academy in 2006. This became a key part of her mission to deliver excellence in education. From 2010 to 2018, Carla was recognised for her dedication and achievements, whilst working as a subcontractor for four prime organisations in the South East. This role provided invaluable insights into best practices and potential pitfalls within the education industry.

Today, Carla proudly continues to own and operate two thriving beauty and hair salons. She has employed over 35 apprentices since opening her salon doors and currently trains over 140 apprenticeships a year within the academy. Her hands-on experience keeps her at the forefront of industry changes, enabling her to effectively bridge the gap between employers, apprentices, and training providers. This dedication was reflected in an Outstanding Ofsted Grade in June 2024.

Collette Osbourne

Salon Owner, founder of Salon Owners United

Collette is an influential figure in the hair and beauty sector, bringing over 14 years of experience as a salon owner and sector leader. As Vice Chair of the Hair and Barber Council, she meets regularly with government departments, advocating for the mandatory registration and regulation of hairdressers and barbers to raise industry standards and protect the professional status of those within the sector. She is also Chair of the British Hair Consortium, leading industry efforts to address key challenges, including securing apprenticeships and protecting jobs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Collette founded Salon Owners United, offering essential business advice and support to over 6,000 salon owners

Before entering the hair and beauty sector, Collette had a successful career in corporate finance and financial compliance, spanning various industries, including pharma, energy, and public sector transport.

With her broad experience in finance, compliance, and salon ownership, Collette brings invaluable insight to the route panel. Her commitment to securing apprenticeships and promoting the future of the hair and beauty industry makes her an influential and respected voice within the sector.

Kirk Lower

Route panel chair

Kirk has been the Chair of the Health and Science Route Panel since 2017.

Kirk took early retirement from the NHS, Health Education England (HEE), in 2022. He continues to be engaged with the NHS as the Chair of the Prince's Trust Health and Social Care Employers’ Advisory Board.

With HEE Kirk developed and then led the Talent for Care national strategy. This included: the promotion and oversight of the NHS’s work experience activities and its access to employment programmes; the growth of NHS apprentices (from near zero to 25,000+ starts per annum); the development of apprenticeship-based career pathways for the NHS’s support workforce (including the nurse degree apprenticeship); the introduction of the Care Certificate and the running of a Department for Education-funded college to support the employment of young people with learning disabilities in the NHS.

Before HEE, Kirk was the HR/Estates Director of an NHS teaching hospital, and he previously worked as the HR Director of two large FE colleges. Earlier in his career, he led on industrial relations within an inner London local authority.

Kirk is currently the Vice Chair of an FE college board, serving the Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth communities, and for several years he was also the Chair of Citizens Advice in Great Yarmouth and central Norfolk.

Colin Baines

Route panel vice-chair

Head of Technical Services and Skills, University of Manchester

Colin began his career in electronics by joining a ‘start-up’ company in Cheshire, where the opportunity to work across the whole gambit of activities, from cradle to grave, gave him a unique introduction to the sector.

Colin later moved to Jodrell Bank Observatory as a Radio Frequency Technician, observing sites across the globe and designing and implementing cryogenic receiver systems. This international experience gave him a strong appreciation of diverse working styles and cultures and a keen understanding of the factors impacting on workforce planning. He is currently leading a team of 400 technicians and engineers through a period of significant change at The University of Manchester.

Colin is passionate about the need to professionalise and improve the technical service provision across the sector through appropriate training and development opportunities. It’s the driving motivation underpinning his Membership of the Route Panel.

Anita Esser

Awaiting biography

Hilary Quinton

Lead Nurse for Oncology and Haematology at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

Hilary trained as a State Registered Nurse and Registered Sick Children’s Nurse when student nurses trained very much ‘on the job’. Her varied career now spans some 37 years. Hilary has spent most of that time working for the NHS, in roles including Chemotherapy Specialist Nurse and Professional Nursing Advisor for Weston Park Hospital (a specialist cancer hospital), and Professional Development Manager for Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Currently, Hilary is Lead Nurse for Oncology and Haematology at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, supporting the delivery of 21^st century care to children and young people with cancer and benign haematological conditions.

As well as being a clinical nurse, Hilary has also worked as an education and support nurse for a large pharmaceutical company, as Head of Care Team and Family Support Manager at a newly established children’s hospice, and as a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing at Sheffield Hallam University.

James Spencer

Consultant Orthodontist at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield

James Spencer undertook his dental training at the University of Bristol and his orthodontic training at the Eastman Dental Institute, London. He is currently Consultant Orthodontist at Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield. James specialises in the orthodontic care of patients with facial deformity and cleft lip and palate and is actively involved in training of the whole dental team

James has been involved in training and education for over 30 years, both in the UK and internationally. Since 2016, he has also been Postgraduate Dental Dean for Health Education England Yorkshire and the Humber.

James is passionate about the training of the dental workforce to ensure that patient care continually improves. He is directly responsible for postgraduate and post-registration training of the whole dental team across Yorkshire and the Humber. He is excited by the opportunity to be involved in the development of apprenticeships and T Levels to improve training opportunities.

Toby Underwood

Head of Professional Standards, Royal Society of Chemistry

As the Head of Professional Standards at the Royal Society of Chemistry, Toby brings a wealth of personal experience and is also able to represent that of the Society’s members, many of whom have been apprentices themselves or are currently employers of apprentices.  He has been leading the vocational skills agenda for the sector’s professional body since the inception of trailblazer groups and the introduction of recent apprenticeship reforms.

Toby was previously employed in the pharma sector, working with, as well supervising apprentices – something that gave him a real understanding of the importance of this unique group, and the diversity of views and experience they bring to the workplace.  In joining the route panel, one of his main priorities will be to ensure that membership of trailblazer groups truly reflects the sector, both in personas and in employer types.  Tony is also particularly passionate about making sure that apprenticeship standards support career progression and are designed to meet the global challenges of the future not just the present. 

Dr Ravinder Rana

Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Director of Psychology, East London NHS Foundation Trust

Ravi trained as a clinical psychologist in the 1980s after an early career in academia. She continued to work, mostly across a range of clinical settings in the NHS but also in Health Education England, for the next 40 years. Ravi also trained in psychoanalysis and held a small private practice for many years. Having led clinical services as a clinician for most of her career, her work over the past 10 years as Director of Psychology at ELFT has been more strategically focused. She has, until recently, been co-chair of the trailblazer for the award-winning clinical associate in psychology apprenticeship.

Ravi is particularly interested in bridging physical and mental health to deliver more holistic, citizen-led patient-centred services and in developing an applied psychology workforce that is better attuned to meeting the needs of local populations.

Mike Bourke

Mike has a wealth of experience in technical education, having previously been a key member of the SPRITO and Skills Active teams responsible for the design and operational management of the Sport and Active Leisure Apprenticeship Programmes across the UK. This included providing the secretariat for the Professional Sport Framework Group that oversaw the original development of Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE).

Mike has an operational leisure management background. In 2023, Mike returned to the ‘coal face’, providing learning and development partner support for the London Borough of Southwark on an exciting and bold project to in-source the council’s leisure facilities This has included the initial employment of a small group of leisure team member apprentices, with plans for growth across other areas of the service, such as marketing and outdoor activities.

Before joining the route panel, Mike was a governor for an Ofsted Good Sport and Physical Activity independent training provider. Mike identifies as non-binary/transgender and uses the pronouns they/them.

Paul Thompson

Director of People and Learning at The Coach Core Foundation

Paul is Director of People and Learning at the Coach Core Foundation, where he leads the development and implementation of strategies that empower young people through sports coaching apprenticeships. He is deeply passionate about supporting young adults across the UK who traditionally face barriers, discrimination, and a lack of opportunities. Paul is a strong advocate for entry-level apprenticeships as a means of enabling social mobility for these groups, believing that every young person deserves access to pathways that lead to meaningful careers.

Before joining Coach Core, Paul held various senior roles in organisational development, specialising in workforce and leadership development. His expertise spans both the public and private sectors, where he has consistently driven initiatives that align with his passion for using education as a tool for positive change.

As a route panel member, Paul is eager to contribute his extensive knowledge and experience to shaping the future of apprenticeships and technical education in the UK. He is committed to ensuring learners from all backgrounds are equipped with the skills they need to overcome challenges and succeed in an evolving job market.

Stephen Allaker

Route panel chair

Finance Director, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals

Stephen has 38 years’ experience in commercial finance, where he has worked for UK and multi-national companies, including Unigate, BAE and Schlumberger, in roles ranging from Management Accountant, through Finance Director to Head of Finance. He is currently Head of Finance at global pharmaceutical giant, Bristol-Myers Squibb, where, for ten years, he has also chaired the Board of Trustees for the Bristol-Myres Squibb Pension Scheme.

Stephen is passionate about promoting and enabling opportunity, training and vocational learning in a professional sector where change and a shift towards a more work-based approach seems not only likely but timely.

Weiyen Hung

Route panel vice-chair

Manager, Bank of England

Weiyen has spent more than ten years in the finance industry and currently works for the Bank of England. He was a frontline banking supervisor for many years, covering some of the largest European and globally systemic banking groups. More recently, he has focused on resolution to minimise the impact on depositors, the financial system and public finances when a financial institution fails. Prior to the Bank of England, he was a residential mortgage-backed securities analyst at Fitch Ratings in London and covered mainly Dutch and Portuguese transactions.

Weiyen is passionate about vocational learning and professionalism and has supported the development of T Levels for many years. He is also involved in many professional associations and holds the CFA, CAIA, CIPM, FRM, MAAT and IMC designations.

Akhil Shah QC

Awaiting biography

Tim Jenkinson

Head of Finance, Office for Students

Having qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG, Tim has spent over 30 years in the finance sector, with more than 12 years at board level. His career has focused mostly on SMEs covering a range of industries, including dairy, transport, care and housing. He is currently Head of Finance at the Office for Students, an arms-length body of the Department for Education, based in Bristol.

Tim’s main professional interests are in business plan development, risk management and assurance. Outside of work, he is a non-executive board member and chair of the audit committee for a local housing association.

Michelle Bramley

Non-executive Director, UK Coaching

Michelle is now a Non-executive Director at UK Coaching, the national sports organisation for sports coaches across the UK. Prior to this, she spent more than 30 years as a senior lawyer and, latterly, Global Head of Knowledge at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, one of the UK’s foremost legal firms. Michelle has wide-ranging legal expertise, including international dispute resolution, risk and regulatory compliance, business and human rights, and modern slavery, is a respected conference speaker and has published on a wide range of legal topics.

Alongside her legal expertise, Michelle also has significant operational management experience, including digital transformation and innovation delivery. Since leaving Freshfields, she has undertaken a range of consulting work for charities and is also an executive coach, currently participating in the professional certificate for executive coaching course at Henley Business School. Michelle is an advisory board member of ForestSEA, a not-for-profit organisation developing reforestation initiatives in South East Asia and a member of Thomson Reuters’ Transforming Women’s Leadership in the Law and Knowledge Management Advisory Boards. 

Lida Cepuch

CEO / Founder, New Fintech company

 Lida describes herself as a 'life-long learner'. She began her career as a co-op student, alternating terms at the University of Waterloo studying computer science with 'work terms', very similar to an apprenticeship. This cemented her belief in the value of exposure to work while learning. On completion of her studies, she went on to enjoy a long career in derivatives trading in Toronto, New York and London.

After spending time engaged in a portfolio of non-executive director roles in finance and education, Lida spent time at Canada House as a Trade Commissioner, focused on financial services, especially fintech. Latterly, she has launched a new fintech initiative, which is currently at a very early stage.

Victoria Miles

Client Solutions Director, Davies Learning Solutions

Vikki has spent over 25 years in the insurance, finance and banking sectors. She currently works for Davies Learning Solutions, part of Davies Group, a specialist insurance, finance and regulated markets training provider. She started her career in insurance, before going to work in corporate treasury for JP Morgan UK. Keen to continue her own learning journey, Vikki gained a BSc in Psychology and Computing and moved into corporate training as a Training Associate and Business Development Director.

Vikki continued her career overseas, working for a Harvard-affiliated research medical centre in Boston, MA. After returning from the US, she worked for Allianz Insurance UK, looking after management graduates and internal learning and development. It was here that she was first introduced to apprenticeships and the incredible opportunities they offer for individual career paths and the sector. Vikki was so passionate about making impactful change that she moved into the training provider side to continue to support, drive and empower organisations to use apprenticeships more widely.

Vikki has been a Fellow of the Learning and Performance Institute for the last two years and wants to help shape the future direction of vocational learning in the sector.

Shaheen Mamun

Co-founder Black Antelope Law

Shaheen, a human rights and public law solicitor, co-founded Black Antelope Law with a resolute commitment to progress. Renowned for holding public bodies accountable, they pioneer collaborative strategies. It was their passion for equitable access to quality education that inspired them to join IfATE’s route panel.

Honoured as Human Rights Lawyer of the Year, Shaheen is celebrated for their excellence and inclusivity efforts. At Black Antelope Law, they spearhead initiatives such as the Bar Council's Certificate of Well-being and endorse the Muslim Employment Charter. Shaheen serves on the EDI Committee at the Law Society, which is dedicated to positive impact.

Phil Garrigan OBE

Route panel chair

Chief Fire Officer, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service

Phil joined Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) in 1990, serving at a variety of community fire stations in some of Merseyside’s most vulnerable and deprived communities. In his current role as Chief Fire Officer, he brings a strong community focus to the service, using this to tackle the underlying factors which affect risk; this has led to a record low in the number of fire deaths.

As well as being a National Strategic Advisor for major national events, Phil is also a member of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Operations Coordination Committee, representing the role of Merseyside FRS in overseeing national resilience capabilities on behalf of the Home Office. He is also Vice Chair of the NFCC Prevention Coordination Committee and leads on the sector’s work with children and young people. The breadth of his work and experience gives Phil a unique understanding of the sector, as well as the skills, knowledge and behaviours that are vital to these essential services.

Babafemi Dada

Governing Governor at HMP Long  Lartin

Babafemi joined the prison service as a basic grade officer in 1991. Successive promotions followed, including positions at Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Pentonville, HMP Wayland, HMP High Down and HMP Lewes. In 2005, he became a Senior Manager (Governor) at HMP Norwich and, in 2008, Deputy Governor of HMP Drake Hall. In 2012, Babafemi was appointed Governing Governor at Her Majesty’s Young Offenders Institution (HMYOI) Werrington, before moving to become Governing Governor of HMP Featherstone in 2015. November 2019 to December 2023 he has been Governor at HMP Gartree moving to HMP Long Lartin in December 2023.

Babafemi was born in East London but grew up in Nigeria, before returning to England in 1990. Having studied for a BSc Honours in Geography and Regional Planning, in 1996, he was awarded an MA in Employment and Human Resource Studies at the University of North London (now London Metropolitan University).

Professor Daniel Silverstone

Director of the School of Justice Studies, Liverpool John Moores University

Daniel is professor of Criminology and Director of the School of Justice Studies and the Centre for Advanced Policing Studies at Liverpool John Moores University. He previously worked as the Head of the School of Law and Criminology at the University of Greenwich. Prior to that, he was Head of Criminology and the John Grieve Centre at London Met University.   

Daniel’s research interests are the incidence of serious and organised crime and its policing. He has worked for multiple funders, including the Home Office, Foreign Office, and National Police Chiefs’ Council. He also currently works in the courts as an expert witness in the field of human trafficking.

Catherine Roper

Chief Constable, Wiltshire Police

Catherine joined the Metropolitan Police in 2000, initially working in frontline policing in South London. After qualifying as a detective, she worked in various roles in specialist crime and specialist intelligence. As Detective Superintendent, Catherine was responsible for the armed protection of politicians and high-profile VIPs before joining the Royal protective unit. She was deployed overseas to one of the largest high-risk armed deployments, taking a former Prime Minister into Gaza, where she ran the control room in the Israeli/Gaza Border.

On return to London, Catherine took the role as the first female borough commander of Islington, leading one of the two pilot borough mergers. Upon promotion to Commander, she was initially responsible for Professional Standards, then Crime Prevention, Inclusion and Engagement, which included the Chief Officer lead for the MPS Volunteer Police Cadets and Special Constabulary.

Catherine become the Chief Constable for Wiltshire Police on 27 February 2023. She holds the National Child and Young Person (CYP) portfolio and is passionate about allowing young people to have a voice and to be heard.

Mark Williams BA (Hons), PGCE, SRMC®.

Learning and Development Lead, Parliamentary Security Department, UK Parliament.

Mark left school and joined the Royal Navy, serving on nuclear submarines. After leaving the service, he became a teacher. In 2016, Mark joined the Parliamentary Security Department as a frontline security officer. Successive promotions followed to the rank of Security Operations Manager with responsibility for maintaining security and safety of the Parliamentary estate. His remit includes recruitment, training, professional development, and exercise and testing. Since taking on the role, Mark has led the creation of a professional learning and development team and delivery of an extensive annual training programme.   

Mark chaired a trailblazer group that designed a Level 2 apprenticeship, using his expertise and experience in security and education.  His passion for lifelong learning and professional development inspired him to join IfATE’s protective services route panel.

Mark Cheeseman

Chief Executive of the Public Sector Fraud Authority

Mark heads up the Public Sector Fraud Authority, which works with UK government departments and public bodies to better understand and reduce the impact of fraud. He is a fraud and financial crime expert, specialising in risk assessment and measurement.

Mark led the development of the government’s Counter Fraud Function and Counter Fraud Profession, as well as the creation of organisational standards and use of data sharing and analytics, transforming the way central government deals with fraud. This led to an increase in detected and prevented fraud of over 250% and £100m in audited benefits from counter fraud activity.

Mark also helped set up and currently acts as an advisor to the Australian government’s Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Centre, supported the New Zealand government in creating their Counter Fraud Centre, and led the creation of the International Public Sector Fraud Forum, a group of leading experts on fraud management who produce international guidance on leading practice.

Panel member

Head of Physical Security, NPSA

This route panel member is Head of Physical Security at the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) which is the UK Government's National Technical Authority for Physical and Personnel protective security. NPSA is part of the UK's National Security apparatus tackling terrorist and state threats. He is also Head of the Physical Security specialism within Government and Chair of the NPSA-sponsored Register of Security Engineers & Specialists.

Experts at NPSA (formerly known as CPNI) have a long history of initiating world-leading research and development creating physical and personnel protective security measures and providing advice and training to the public and private sectors on securing critical infrastructure, crowded places and publically accessible locations, sensitive technologies, digital engineering and open data initiatives, advanced manufacturing processes, automotive and intelligent transport systems and managing the security of smart city/connected places initiatives.

He is a Chartered Engineer and has been honoured with an OBE for his services to protective security.

Kris Rotchell

Provost Marshal (Serious Crime)

Kris joined the Army in 1999 and the Royal Military Police in 2003, initially undertaking policing roles in the UK and Germany, operational policing in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Armed VIP Protection in Africa. He has also spent time serving as an exchange officer with both the Australian and United States Military Police, and with the NATO Headquarters in Kabul.

Kris was appointed as the Provost Marshal for Serious Crime and Chief Officer of the Defence Serious Crime Command in January 2024. In his current role he is responsible for delivering investigations into serious and complex criminal allegations globally.

Godfrey Moger

Route panel chair

Associate Commercial Director – Disclosure and Barring Service

Godfrey has extensive experience and a track record of devising, implementing, supporting and delivering successful commercial and brand transformation across multiple business types, in both private and public sectors. He started his career as a retail apprentice, progressing to senior leadership roles in this sector, then making a successful transition to business-to-business leadership in telecoms, digital advertising technology, media. He recently moved into the public sector with the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Godfrey is passionate about developing individuals and teams and has a strong track record in building and developing commercial teams on both a UK and international basis. Having an apprenticeship as the foundation for his career is one of the key drivers of his commitment to working with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.

Michael Lynch

Head of Commercial Innovation & Marketing, NS&I

Michael joined NS&I in 2007 and was seconded from NS&I to help create the British Business Bank as Acting Director Head of Communications and Marketing and Head of Brand. Before joining NS&I, Michael worked for AXA Investment Managers as Demand Development Director AXA UK and as Director, UK Sales for Royal & SunAlliance Investments. He is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Marketors, a member of the Strategic Marketing MSc Programme Advisory Board at Cranfield School of Management and a non-executive director at London Mutual Credit Union.

Michael is a former Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) examiner and has lectured on CIM programmes since 2008, in areas including strategy and digital strategy, digital marketing, innovation and communications. He is a Chartered Marketer and Fellow of the CIM, a member of the Market Research Society and holds an MSc in strategic marketing. Before joining the Route Panel, Michael was a member of the Level 3 and Chair of the Level 7 marketing apprenticeship trailblazer groups.

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Angelique De Vroomen

Marketing Project Manager, Insight

Angelique’s career spans over 20 years of marketing roles in the public and commercial sectors, including finance, education, publishing and marketing agencies. She has worked both in global and local settings. She is currently responsible for managing various cross-departmental marketing projects at Insight, a global IT Solutions Provider. 

A few years ago, Angelique made a sideways step into training apprentices in marketing and project management through a local college. Her eyes were opened to the potential and possibilities offered by vocational training and the amazing opportunities that come from work-based learning. She has been an advocate for vocational training ever since, particularly apprenticeships, and is delighted to be able to contribute, as a route panel member, to making it the best it can be.

Janet Morris

Principal Consultant, Arche Consulting International

Janet is passionate about education, believing that every child should have a great start in life. She has a portfolio career, working in a number of sectors including health, EdTech, higher education, international schools and English language sector.  

Janet has always worked in commercial roles, spanning both sales and marketing. She has spent the majority of her career as an Interim Sales and Marketing Director, working for over 25 organisations in international education, professional services, aviation, travel, and construction, and in the private, public and third sectors.   Janet has also lectured for the Chartered Institute of Marketing Postgraduate Diploma programme. 

Captain Neil Atkinson

Route panel chair

Head of Campus, Fleetwood Nautical Campus, Blackpool and The Fylde College

Neil first went to the Fleetwood Nautical Campus of Blackpool and the Fylde College in 1989 as a night class student on a Royal Yachting Association course. Following a 22-year career at sea and continued association with the Campus, he returned as Head of Campus in 2013.

During his time in the industry, Neil obtained his Master Mariners qualification and progressed to the rank of Captain, combining a career at sea with a career in maritime education. He is now a Chartered Master Mariner, a Chartered Manager and Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, a Fellow of the Nautical Institute, a Vice Chairman of the Merchant Navy Training Board and a Younger Brother of the Corporation of Trinity House. In 2020 he was awarded the Merchant Navy Medal for services to maritime education and training. Neil is passionate about training the next generation of seafarers and sees apprentices as integral to this endeavour. He has recently completed a Senior Leader Degree apprenticeship.

Mark Swan

Route panel vice-chair

Managing Director, Frimstone

Mark is Managing Director of Frimstone, responsible for setting and delivering strategy to grow and develop one of Norfolk’s largest independent quarry businesses.

After graduating from the University of Newcastle with an MSc in Rock Mechanics and Excavation Engineering, Mark started his working life in the land drilling industry, promoting NVQs and working on projects in Norway, France and Middle East. He later worked in various logistics and commercial roles in the extractive industry, before joining Frimstone in 2011 to help develop their rail infrastructure in East Anglia.

Mark sees the new apprenticeships as playing a vital role in drawing new employees into the industry and is a keen advocate of the opportunities they offer.

Graeme Heron PhD FCILT

Senior university teacher and Interim Director of Executive and Professional Education, Sheffield University Management School

Graeme has over 28 years' industrial experience, having started as an apprentice millwright, before progressing through engineering maintenance roles in the ordnance, petro-chemical and pharmaceutical sectors.  He moved to a management role in the food sector in his early thirties and built a career in logistics, warehousing and supply chain management operation fields.

Alongside his role at Sheffield University, Graeme is a Trustee and Executive Director of Fareshare North-East. Fareshare is the largest food redistribution charity in the North East, taking good-to-eat surplus food from the food industry and redistributing it to over 200 charities and community groups, reaching thousands of people each week.  This is a role which builds upon his own PhD in the Theory of Constraints, which looks at the development of more sustainable and resource efficient food supply chains.  Graeme also serves as a board member to a social enterprise and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

Trudy Spencer

Associate Professor; WMG, University of Warwick

Trudy Spencer is an Associate Professor at WMG, University of Warwick. She specialises in supply chain and logistics, with a particular focus on transport and warehousing. This builds on a successful career in a variety of distribution roles in the building products and fashion industries.

As Head of Work-based Education for her department at Warwick, she has witnessed first-hand the extensive development opportunities apprenticeships offer. Trudy is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and has a strong commitment to inspiring the next generation of supply chain professionals. She sees her appointment to the Route Panel as a great opportunity to support the development of talent in the industry by contributing to the creation of new pathways.

Tanith Dolan

Partner and Operational Training Manager, John Lewis and Partners

Tanith has worked for the John Lewis Partnership for over 20 years. She started in branch stores as a manager on the shopfloor and progressed into training and development. Tanith moved to distribution 15 years ago where she supported training and development of warehouse and transport Partners, setting up a Mechanical Handling Equipment (MHE) Training Centre to service the whole Partnership. 

The other side of Tanith’s role is to launch new apprenticeships and support delivery of existing apprenticeships within the Partnership’s distribution and supply chain. She believes that apprenticeships are the way forward for businesses to upskill their existing staff and create attractive job pathways for new roles.

Paul Verghese

Global Train Operations Solutions Director, Alstom Group.

Founder, Railsy

Paul has over three decades of successful director/senior leadership experience across the rail space, working in operations, commercial and project management. He is a member and chair of several high-level industry regulatory groups and has worked in a strategic capacity across the UK and internationally, including managing director, director of operations/projects and non-executive board director roles for several passenger, freight and infrastructure management train operator businesses.

Paul is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Railway Operators, Chartered Member of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and soon-to-be Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). He has been working in the further education space since 2017 and has been heavily involved in promoting the opportunities that education can provide the rail sector. Paul has had experience as an internal/external quality assurance (IQA/EQA) assessor and tutor, so the development of talent and learner experience into gainful employment in the rail sector is a strong passion of his.