Apprenticeships and Skills Conference

Rob is a passionate advocate of skills-based training and technical education becoming the CEO of FAB in August 2024.

Previously the Director of Skills Delivery at IfATE he was responsible for the development of employer-led qualifications and apprenticeships. Rob commissioned the introduction of over 700 apprenticeships, 22 T-Levels, 250 HTQs and 200 Level 3 qualifications, working closely with employers, DfE, Ofqual, assessment organisations and training providers.

Rob’s was initially an engineer in the Army in the U.K, leading an Army Operating Division before becoming HR Director in 2015. He retired from the Army in 2018 to pursue his interest of the development of a world-beating skills system, within which everyone is encouraged and supported to realise their potential.

Rob is the Chair of Governors at the City of Portsmouth College, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Mr Toby Perkins is the Member of Parliament for Chesterfield and the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Apprenticeships. He is also the Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, first elected in 2010. He was Shadow Minister for Nature and Rural Affairs from 2023-2024 and has also held the roles of Shadow Minister for Enterprise and Small Business and Shadow Minister for Skills and Further Education. Before becoming an MP, Mr Perkins ran his own small business supplying rugby clothing and was a director in a social enterprise providing nursery care to one of the most deprived areas of Chesterfield.

Lindsay joined the Association of Apprenticeships in 2026 as Chief Executive, with a clear goal to create a professional home for every apprentice in the UK, ensuring every apprentice has access to the community, development and recognition they deserve.

Having begun her own career as an apprentice, Lindsay brings over 20 years’ experience across education and skills, alongside a deeply held commitment to ensuring apprentices feel valued, supported and proud of the path they choose.

Previously, Lindsay led transformative change to improve the visibility and parity of apprenticeships within the education system, including securing their inclusion in the UCAS Tariff and delivering innovation such as parity of search between traditional undergraduate degree courses and apprenticeships.

Beyond her professional roles, Lindsay has served as a school governor across a range of settings, with a notable focus on specialist provision, and she regularly volunteers her time supporting young people with careers advice, applications and interview preparation.

Claire has been employed within the Further Education sector for over 25 years, for the last 14 years holding senior leadership positions within both the public and private sectors.

Claire originally trained as a mental health nurse and delivered health related training to young people and adults within colleges and independent training providers. Claire has delivered and managed predominantly employer responsive programmes and has extensive expertise of Skills Bootcamps and Apprenticeships.

Claire joined the Association of Colleges (AoC) in January 2024 as Senior Policy Manager for Skills and Industry and leads on Apprenticeship and Skills policy.

Exeter College, with 13,000 students, is an OFSTED Outstanding institution and a national leader in Green Skills education. Operating across 16 campuses, it is recognised as a Department for Education Expert Provider. The college has a strong national and international presence in advancing the Green Skills agenda, notably through it’s Green Skills Advisory Panel (GSAP). GSAP is a member-led committee comprising building services, housing, and construction businesses, supported by government agencies, charities, and training providers. Its mission is to equip both current and future workforces with the skills to embrace emerging technologies, reduce environmental impact, and support the journey to net zero.

Stephen Wilde is the Managing Director of SBR, an award-winning engineering business recognised as National SME Apprentice Employer of the Year 2025 and Manufacturing and Engineering Business of the Year 2026. A passionate advocate for skills development, Stephen has achieved a 100 per cent apprenticeship completion rate, with more than half of SBR’s workforce comprising current or former apprentices. This long-term commitment has created a strong talent pipeline and supported SBR’s rapid growth. Stephen is a member of the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network and a Fellow of the 5% Club, championing employer-driven investment in skills, opportunity, and future workforce capability.

Tracey Patmore is Head of Products at NOCN Group, overseeing the development of all regulated qualifications and courses including apprenticeship end point assessments (EPA), short courses and international products.

She brings over 30 years of experience in the Education Sector, having previously worked as a fully qualified lecturer, assessor, and internal quality assurer (IQA). She holds a Level 7 qualification in Strategic Leadership and Management. Over her career in education she has worked as a full time lecturer, where she progressed to the Learning Director of a large sector area. She has also worked for awarding bodies, employers, colleges, and training providers developing curricula. She was involved in the UK Government’s reform of apprenticeships and technical education, working with government bodies and employers to support this reform.

Mahfia is a post-16 education specialist with over 20 years’ experience shaping policy, academic quality and regulation across regional skills, FE, and HE. They lead on skills policy for the Employment, Skills, Health and Communities Directorate at the West Midlands Combined Authority, working with senior leaders, regional and national partners and stakeholders to support delivery of the Region’s ambition to make the West Midlands the best place to live, work and visit.

Ross McNally, CEO and Executive Chair of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, has over 40 years’ Board level experience across business representation organisations and a range of service sectors. Providing leadership of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce his focus is on strategy, development, stakeholder engagement and ensuring the collective voice of Hampshire businesses shapes policy objectives.

Ross was formerly Chief Executive of the network of accredited Chambers of Commerce in the South East of England. At CEO-level his career spans leisure and tourism, franchise development, national business association and Higher Education. Ross is educated to post graduate level in business and leadership management with skills in strategic business direction, positioning and transformation. Ross is a member of the Hampshire Prosperity Partnership Board, and a trustee of The Friends of Gibraltar Heritage Society.

Jill is Director of Competence & Compliance for the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA). Prior to joining BESA in June 2024, Jill spent 7 years as Head of Construction, Built Environment and Transport at the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education, leading a team in the creation and maintenance of occupational standards, apprenticeships and qualifications. She graduated as a civil engineer and her career took her into roles in design and quality engineering before focusing on the national arena of careers, education and training, both public and commercial. She is a board member for the North East Institute of Technology, co-chair of the Engineering & Building Services Skills Alliance and currently supporting the Skills England taskforce for assessment reform. A mother to a daughter enjoying her apprenticeship in construction site management and a cricket-mad 13 year old son who is thriving despite challenges of Perthes disease, ASD and bullying. Jill is driven by the simple passion to do the right thing.

Rob is Associate Director for Impact and Influence at Education Training Foundation, the professional body for FE and Skills. He joined ETF in January having previously been Head of Education and Skills at the CBI speaking for businesses, giving them a voice in influencing skills policy.

Prior to these roles Rob was part of the Senior Leadership Team at the Sector Skills Council for the creative industries – Creative & Cultural Skills where he led their National Skills Academy, bringing together business, education, and other stakeholders to identify and produce solutions in an ever-changing skills landscape. Rob’s career has also included working with universities, schools, FE and Adult Education colleges both in the UK and abroad.

Stephen has been chief executive since 2016, having spent two years previously as deputy chief executive. He joined from Working Links, where he led on policy, strategy and business development. Prior to this, he worked for the London Development Agency as director of employment and skills, commissioning programmes and leading the work of the London Skills and Employment Board; was chief economist at the Social Market Foundation; and spent six years as senior policy advisor in HM Treasury working on policy for skills, productivity and child poverty.

Louise Cairns is highly-respected among business directors, training leaders, and sector policy-makers for her deep knowledge, extensive expertise, and significant influence across the food and drink sector’s skills landscape.

Initially a graduate at Brighton University Louise worked in a number of leading companies before founding her own successful training and skills consultancy business with a special interest in apprenticeships.

Joining the NSAFD in 2007, Louise was appointed CEO in 2018 having, among other achievements, helped a diverse range of sector businesses to prepare for and make best use of the Apprenticeship Levy.

She has been involved in a range of initiatives aimed at advancing workforce skills and setting employer-led standards including many Food & Drink Apprenticeship Trailblazers, and represents the sector within the National Manufacturing Skills Task Force — the strategic board that helps shape Government policy on emerging UK workforce skill gaps while maintaining and protecting the talent pipeline for manufacturing as a whole.

Under her leadership, the NSAFD has become a successful, standalone, not-for-profit organisation totally focused on meeting the current and emerging skill needs of UK food and drink manufacturers and processors of every size in every part of the country.

Her most recent accomplishments include leading the development and introduction of the NSAFD’s Food & Drink Careers Passport – a pre-entry qualification for job-seekers wanting to enter the industry that ensures they have the basic knowledge sector employers want in Food Safety, HACCP, Health and Safety, and Allergen Awareness when taking up entry-level roles.

The Passport is now widely recognised as an employability tool by food businesses across the UK with many offering guaranteed interviews or other forms of preferential recruitment consideration to holders.

Jan is CEO of Occupational Awards Limited and a Director of Improve Skills Limited and Governor and Vice-Chair of an FE College.  She has over 35 years’ experience in the education sector across strategic and operational management of apprenticeship and training programmes with colleges, private training providers, local authorities the voluntary sector and not for profit organisations.  She has extensive experience of education policy, apprenticeships, qualification and curriculum development, along with change management and business improvement.

Samantha has over 20 years’ experience in Education, Talent Pathways, and Performance Development, helping organisations build capability and future-proof their workforce. She has worked across performance sport, education, and service industries, leading development strategies that align people growth with business goals. Samantha has a strong background in apprenticeships, leadership coaching, and performance management, and specialises in creating practical, scalable Training and Development solutions to meet workforce need.

Andrew is an entrepreneurial Managing Director with strong leadership capabilities in the equipment maintenance and catering sector. With over 35 years of experience in the service industry at both regional and national levels, he has a proven track record in operations management and business development. He excels in leading high-pressure environments and providing strategic direction that drives organisational change and sustainable growth. A confident and effective communicator, Andrew is passionate about delivering exceptional service standards and building high-performing teams.

Simon is currently the Director of Policy and Deputy CEO for the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) and is responsible for developing and implementing AELP’s policy approach, including responding to and influencing stakeholder policy and ensuring it is in line with the Board’s short and long-term objectives.
AELP is a national membership body, proudly representing around 800 organisations. AELP members support thousands of businesses and millions of learners in England by delivering a wide range of training, vocational learning, and employability programmes.

Simon joined AELP in January 2017 and has worked in the further education and skills sector for over twenty years in a range of strategic and operational roles with different training providers and employers.

Rob is a passionate advocate of skills-based training and technical education becoming the CEO of FAB in August 2024.

Previously the Director of Skills Delivery at IfATE he was responsible for the development of employer-led qualifications and apprenticeships. Rob commissioned the introduction of over 700 apprenticeships, 22 T-Levels, 250 HTQs and 200 Level 3 qualifications, working closely with employers, DfE, Ofqual, assessment organisations and training providers.

Rob’s was initially an engineer in the Army in the U.K, leading an Army Operating Division before becoming HR Director in 2015. He retired from the Army in 2018 to pursue his interest of the development of a world-beating skills system, within which everyone is encouraged and supported to realise their potential.

Rob is the Chair of Governors at the City of Portsmouth College, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.