Two new members have been appointed to the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education’s (IfATE) board.
Mark McClennon and Jane Hadfield will join the board as non-executive members making up a 12-strong membership at the apprenticeships quango, the government announced today.
The appointments follow the resignation of one board member who flagged a “potential” conflict of interest as her company was awarded a Department for Education skills bootcamp contract.
Both McClennon and Hadfield will serve a five-year term from November 1. They will be paid £15,000 per year for an estimated two days work per month, equating to £625 per day.
Hadfield is the national lead for apprenticeships and talent for care with NHS England. She is also the employer co-chair of St Martin’s Group, a representative of employers and awarding organisations who support employer-led skills training.
She has also chaired numerous IfATE’s employer-led trailblazer groups for health and science, including the T Level employer panel for health.
Hadfield said: “The cornerstone for IfATE is employer leadership, using our insights to ensure training is agile for current and future skills needs, and I will continue to amplify their views.
“I am delighted to have this opportunity and though we have achieved a lot, there is more to do to ensure we have the sustainable, world class system we aspire to.”
McClennon started as chair of IfATE’s digital route panel in January 2019 and helped to develop the institute’s equity, diversity and inclusion strategy. He is also chief information officer at Burberry.
He was awarded an MBE for services to further education and apprenticeships in June this year.
“It has been a great privilege supporting IfATE’s employer led reforms, which are transforming apprenticeships and technical education for the better and making sure we keep pace with the economy’s fast evolving digital and wider skills needs,” McClennon said.
“This world class skills system that we are building has to work for everyone and I’m committed to making sure people from all backgrounds reap the benefits. I relish the opportunity to take all this to the next level as a board member.”
IfATE chair Baroness Ruby McGregor Smith said: “Jane and Mark are outstanding examples of employers who have helped IfATE transform the skills system for the better. I’m delighted that they have been appointed to the board and am really looking forward to working with them.”
Meanwhile, Dayle Bayliss has stepped down after the end of her three-year term.
Jessica Leigh Jones has also left the board to mitigate a potential conflict of interest with her company iungo solutions, which was recently awarded a DfE contract to provide skills bootcamps. Leigh Jones was reappointed to the IfATE board in June 2023 and was supposed to serve in the position for four more years.
An IfATE spokesperson said: “As Jessica is the CEO, a director and shareholder, there will be financial gain. She and DfE made us aware of the contract award and potential conflict of interest and it was mutually agreed she would step down.”
Baroness McGregor Smith said: “We would like to thank Jessica and Dayle for their valued contributions. We wish them the best for the future.”
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