Rachel Sandby-Thomas (pictured above) has been appointed to the role of shadow chief executive of new Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA).
The announcement of the key appointment for the IfA, which will help police employers as apprenticeship reforms take effect, was announced today by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
Ms Sandby-Thomas joined the Government Legal Service in 1993 from the City, where she worked as a solicitor with Linklaters, and has since advised at, HM Treasury, Cabinet Office, the Attorney General’s Office, and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
Her most recent role was as director general for skills, deregulation and local growth at BIS.
The department’s permanent secretary Martin Donnelly said: “I am delighted to announce that Rachel will be taking up a new position as shadow chief executive.
“Building on her in-depth knowledge of the apprenticeship programme as DG for skills, Rachel will play a major role in establishing the IfA, which is due to launch in April 2017 and be an essential part of ensuring the quality of apprenticeships in support of the Government’s target of delivering 3m apprentices by 2020.”
Ms Sandby-Thomas will take up the new role from April 4, and Jaee Samant will be temporarily promoted to the role of director general for skills, deregulation and local growth.
She said: “I’m very excited to be appointed. Over the next year we’ll be working to ensure the organisation is ready to launch in April 2017, ensuring quality apprenticeships that meet the needs of businesses.”
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