It's fair to say NCFE's new Director of Apprenticeships, Suzanne Slater, has hit the ground running since she joined NCFE, educational charity and leader in vocational and technical learning, in October.
Suzanne has only been in the job a matter of weeks and has already hosted a prize at the National Apprenticeship awards, had words with BBC’s Dan Walker and taken on the task of managing NCFE’s apprenticeship offer from start to finish – including end point assessments, functional skills and skills assessments.
She is keen to launch her ambitious plans around apprenticeships next year, but first, back to that tiff with Strictly’s Dan Walker. Suzanne reveals: “I was thrilled to attend the National Apprenticeship awards not long after I started, and Dan Walker was hosting. He was doing a great job but whenever he referred to NCFE, he’d mistakenly call us NCFC. When I got up to present the award, I knew I had to set the record straight. He apologised profusely and admitted he was a big Notts County fan (NCFC), hence the confusion.”
Suzanne is no stranger to making her presence felt and has won plaudits for her approach throughout the industry. Her appointment as NCFE’s Director of Apprenticeships is a perfect fit for the former Gateshead College Assistant Principal. Coming from the Further Education sector, Suzanne worked hard to oversee many high-profile apprenticeship partnerships with industry heavyweights including Greggs, Virgin Money and UK Power Networks, a London and South East based electricity network operator who she supported to develop an apprenticeship leadership academy.
“I’ve always taken the view that it’s important to make sure the right apprenticeships are available for the learners and for businesses. I have worked in the commercial sector from a recruitment perspective then managed apprenticeship delivery within private training provider and FE environments, working very closely with employers be-spoking apprenticeship curriculum to meet theirs and industry needs. My new role for NCFE feels like a natural next step and is giving me a fantastic insight into the awarding side of the industry.”
Suzanne’s career started in the business world working for BT, then Reed, and then as Regional Manager for Northern Skills Group – an expert provider of apprenticeships, part of Middlesbrough College. Continuing in the Further Education sector, she went on to become Assistant Principal for Gateshead College, before taking up the Director position at NCFE.
With a career that has been dedicated to helping people find work through apprenticeships schemes, it’s no surprise that Suzanne, like NCFE’s CEO David Gallagher, believes more vocational options should be made available at school and promoted in careers guidance, so that young people can make informed and empowered choices about their future.
“I’ve seen first-hand the transformation a good quality apprenticeship can have on an individual. I’ve worked with people who didn’t have a great learning experience at school, didn’t enjoy being in the classroom who then suddenly came into their own in the workplace where they could contextualise their learning and put it into practice on a daily basis.”
Never one to sit on the sidelines even in her personal life, Suzanne recently took up sailing after growing tired of watching her children and husband take to the waters. She said: “My other half can sail and so can the kids and I was sick of standing on the side rigging and launching boats without any of the fun. I have a dream of sailing around the Greek Islands once the kids are grown up. I’ve already achieved my RYA certificates, although after the recent cold and windy weather, I have decided that I’m definitely a ‘fair weather’ sailor!”
Sara Brown, Executive Director of Operations at NCFE, talking about Suzanne’s recent appointment, said: “We are beyond delighted to have Suzanne on board. She shares our passion for vocational and technical education as a means to help everyone reach their true potential. Her vast experience speaks for itself and we’re looking forward to seeing her make the job her own as she is set to play a pivotal role in shaping smarter learning solutions for the future.”