“It’s a real privilege to join the Yorkshire Learning Providers Board and to continue supporting its mission to champion collaboration, quality, and innovation across the skills and training landscape. My own journey through vocational education began as a level one NVQ student at Dearne Valley College in 1999, before moving into teaching as a Catering Tutor at Rotherham College of Arts and Technology, and later serving as a Governor at Doncaster College during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. I have also experienced the power of work-based learning first-hand as a degree apprentice at Sheffield Hallam University, which strengthened my belief in the value of lifelong learning and professional growth.

These experiences have shaped both my career and my values, showing me how transformational high-quality vocational and technical education can be. That is why I champion and strive to ensure that today’s learners on vocational pathways have the same opportunities that I did—to develop their skills, achieve their ambitions, and progress into rewarding careers.

The work of Yorkshire Learning Providers is absolutely vital to the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem in our region. By bringing together further and higher education institutions, independent training providers, and employers, YLP plays a crucial role in ensuring that the Yorkshire skills system remains cohesive, forward-looking, and responsive to local and regional priorities.

I am proud to be part of that mission: building stronger bridges across the provider landscape, collaborating with partners to widen opportunity, and helping to create an inclusive, high-quality skills system that supports both learners and the regional economy.”