Candidates will be proven
strategic thinkers able to contribute across a range of governance and policy
matters relating to apprenticeships, skills and technical education.
Board members are required to draw on their
knowledge, skills and expertise, to play a full part in the board’s
deliberations on issues relating to the skills and employment landscape; and be
strong champions and public advocates for IfATE’s role and place in the skills
landscape. Where necessary, they will champion specific priorities as needed to
drive its work forward.
IfATE works directly with employers to create
products, such as apprenticeships and T Levels, which will give individuals the
skills employers need and so it is important that its board membership is
supportive of its approach, whilst using their knowledge and experience to
challenge the Executive when necessary.
Given its employer-led work, applications are
particularly welcome from current senior business or public sector employers
whose organisations recruit through a range of entry routes and who employ a
significant number of apprentices or students who have undertaken technical
qualifications; and we are particularly interested in hearing from
candidates who will command the confidence of a range of employers, including
small and medium sized employers.
Candidates
will need the personal strength and integrity to maintain IfATE’s independence
whilst at the same time setting its strategic direction to ensure it delivers
the government’s aims and holding its Executive to account for delivery.
Candidates
will have a good understanding of the government’s apprenticeship and technical
education reforms and skills agenda, as well as challenges and opportunities
faced by businesses of all sizes. Candidates will have a proven commitment to
maintaining high standards, as well as being committed to diversity and social
mobility and helping people from all backgrounds to get the skills they need.
We particularly welcome
applications from under-represented groups, those based outside London and the
South-East and applicants who have achieved success through non-traditional
educational routes.
Essential criteria:
A successful candidate will meet
the following essential criteria:
- Exceptional leadership skills, with recent experience as a senior
decision maker, bringing independence, external perspectives, skills and
challenge to strategy development;
- A proven track record of commanding respect from employers, both
large and small, and an understanding of the challenges that employers
face;
- A sound understanding of the central role apprenticeships and
technical education will play as part of the Government’s skills agenda;
- A good understanding of IfATE’s mission to enable employers to
co-create high quality, cost-effective apprenticeship standards and
technical qualifications, so that every employer and individual gets the
skills they need to succeed; and
- A strong commitment to ensuring that everyone, no matter what
their background, is able to access the education and skills
opportunities which lead to good job outcomes.
Applicants
will be assessed against these criteria in their application form and at any
subsequent interview.
In
the event that we receive a large number of applications, those which do not
clearly demonstrate the first two of the essential criteria(replicated below) will be rejected at the first stage:
- Exceptional leadership skills, with recent experience as a senior
decision maker, bringing independence, external perspectives, skills and
challenge to strategy development; and
- A proven track record of commanding respect from employers, both
large and small, and an understanding of the challenges that employers
face.
