The Annual Apprenticeship Conference is a national event for apprentice employers and providers. Founded in 2015, the event is operated by FE Week, which Lsect Ltd publishes.
Plenary: Three (09:30-11:00)
Date: Tuesday 14 March
Format: Panel discussion
Role | CEO
Organisation | WorldSkills UK
Role at WorldSkills UK
Neil is responsible for overseeing all WorldSkills UK’s activities, working closely with our board of trustees and our stakeholders across the UK and internationally – in governments, employers and education – to help deliver our business plan goals.
Background and experience
Neil joined WorldSkills UK as CEO in 2015 and under his tenure, the organisation has grown and developed to focus on how international benchmarking from the global WorldSkills network in over 85 countries can be harnessed to drive up standards in apprenticeships and technical education across the UK so more young people and the economy succeed.
Neil was previously Deputy Director-General and Chief Operating Officer at the CBI, the UK’s premier business organisation, where he worked for 12 years at the highest level of the business and government interface nationally and internationally on issues such as trade and investment, diversity, skills and employment, public services reform, climate change and infrastructure development.
Neil was also the former CEO of OUTstanding, a business network for LGBT leaders and their allies, and former deputy chair of Stonewall, the LGBT equality charity. He holds a PhD in race equality in the workplace and was awarded an OBE for services to diversity and inclusion in the 2019 New Year’s Honours List. In 2019, Neil was also awarded an honorary doctorate by Middlesex University for services to STEM education.
Neil will step down as CEO of WorldSkills UK in May 2023 but will remain on the Board.
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