Former top skills civil servant joins large online training provider

A former top civil servant in the government’s skills funding agency is to take up a leadership role at The Skills Network.

Paul McGuire will join the major the online training firm from apprenticeship provider JTL where he has spent the past six years as chief operating officer and most recently interim chief executive.

He’ll become the new chief financial officer of The Skills Network, which is led by former Association of Employment and Learning Providers chief executive Mark Dawe, “shortly after” JTL recruits a permanent chief executive.

McGuire spent five years as chief financial officer of the Learning and Skills Council between 2005 to 2010 and then another five years as chief operating officer of the Skills Funding Agency between 2010 and 2015.

He is a qualified accountant with over 30 years’ experience in financial management roles across both the private and public sectors.

A statement from The Skills Newtork said: “The pandemic experience made Paul, like many people, re-evaluate his future, resulting in Paul deciding that the time was right for a new challenge and accepting this exciting opportunity as chief financial officer at The Skills Network.

“The Skills Network is looking forward to Paul joining to help drive forward an exciting agenda providing online delivery and resources to the learning and skills sector.”

The Skills Network had over 23,000 students enrolled onto distance-learning adult education courses and apprenticeships last year, according to the company’s latest accounts.

Most of The Skills Network’s courses are delivered through subcontracts with colleges.