Former top DfE skills civil servant joins PwC

Paul Kett joins accounting giant after serving 6 years in the civil service

Paul Kett joins accounting giant after serving 6 years in the civil service

The Department for Education’s former top skills civil servant has been appointed as a senior adviser and global director for education and skills at accounting giant PwC.

Paul Kett left the DfE as its director general for skills in December, having served in several roles at the department over the last six years.

PwC, which is considered one of the “big four” accounting firms in the world, announced today that Kett would join to develop the company’s “education and skills practice and delivering business transformation work for clients both in the UK and globally”.

Kett said: “With investment in people and skills a priority for businesses and governments around the world, I am excited to bring my knowledge and experience to support clients close the skills gap and help secure more inclusive and sustainable economies and societies.”

As the DfE’s director general for skills, Kett was responsible for higher and further education policy, apprenticeships and T Levels as well as being the lead sponsor for the Office for Students and Students Loans Company.

He served in several roles in the government. Initially responsible for education standards policy, he became director general in 2017 and in 2019 took over the higher and further education brief. 

Damien Ashford, education leader at PwC, said Kett brings a “wealth of experience to complement our own commitment to harness talent and skills across the UK”.

Julia Kinniburgh, the DfE’s previous director general for strategy, replaced Kett as director general for skills in December.

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One comment

  1. Rob green

    Interesting how all these experts are jumping ship as it heads for the defunding &
    t level iceberg. Lovelock and ketts getting nice new jobs whilst everyone in colleges, staff and students, have to pick up the pieces of the mess they have created. It’s disgusting that someone can waltz off no doubt with a nice little goodbye package and straight into a nice consultancy earner.