The VocTech Future of Skills Award is a new competition to share and celebrate big, tech-enabled ideas of how changes to the UK skills system could transform the way adults get the skills they need for work.
We are pleased to announce the full judging panel which is made up of nine experts in skills and adult learning. Explore our brilliant judges below.
Naomi Clayton is Deputy Director for research and development. Naomi has more than 14 years’ experience in policy and research with specialisms in employment, skills and labour market disadvantage issues. She has worked with partners across the UK to support them to use evidence and demonstrate impact through the implementation of skills strategies, youth employment support and in-work progression pilots, and the development of local industrial strategies.
Maren is the Strategic Lead of AmplifyFE at the Association for Learning Technology (ALT). The AmplifyFE network is led by ALT in partnership with Ufi and connects thousands of professionals in Further Education and Vocational Education, providing a strong networking community for them to share, collaborate and learn. Maren has worked as an independent consultant in education and learning technology for over 13 years. She also coaches leaders in developing their own approach to managing people and projects, holistic strategies for hybrid and home-working and skills needed in this evolving workplace.
Rebecca is the Chief Executive and leads Ufi VocTech Trust to deliver our vision of a world where vocational skills are celebrated and valued by all and where development of those skills is made possible by the best technology solutions. She has a background in technology and innovation policy and economic development that spans the public, private and third sector.
Dominic is the Chair of Trustees for Ufi and an independent consultant. He is the co-founder and MD of Digital training provider Intequal. The company is committed to developing digital and IT skills through apprenticeships. He is the co-founder of Franklin Apprenticeships, a United States based consulting firm focused on building the infrastructure to support a successful competency-based apprenticeship ecosystem in the US.
Jeff is the Director for Diversity and Governance at the Association of Colleges and on the board of trustees at Ufi.
Jeff’s career in education and training began as a teacher in the South Wales Valleys, then as a civil servant developing the National Curriculum for Languages, before working in the private sector on European Vocational Education projects. Jeff is a strong advocate for Equity and Inclusion within education and training and runs Ariege a consultancy company working with Education and Training Organisations in Europe and Africa.
Scott is the Head of Teaching, Learning and Digital at Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT). He is a Lecturer and Manager of a team that supports and trains students and staff in using digital, creative, and innovative approaches to teaching and learning. In 2018 the team Scott built around students and apprentices at BCoT won the TES FE Award for ‘Outstanding use of Technology for improving Teaching, Learning and Assessment 2018’ and was named in the EdTech50.
Scott is a Google Certified Innovator, a National Teaching Awards Silver Winner, a National Advisor for EdTech UK, and an EdTech Demonstrator for the DfE.
Louise is Director of Ventures at the Resolution Foundation, an independent think-tank and social investor focused on improving living standards for those on low to middle incomes. Louise has previously worked at innovation and technology charities Doteveryone and Nesta and at venture builder Blenheim Chalcot.
Andy Witty is Director of Strategic Policy and part of the senior leadership team within Colleges Scotland, the membership body which represents the interests of all the Colleges throughout Scotland. Andy is responsible for the development of funding and policy approaches, and for negotiations with Scottish Government on behalf of the Colleges.
Prior to joining Colleges Scotland, he was Policy Manager at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). He also worked as Operations Director for a group of charities, and worked across a range of public bodies including Scottish Water, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and local government.
Gori is an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, and the founder and CEO of UpSkill Digital, an EdTech company reimagining the future of corporate learning through the lens of inclusivity and social impact. UpSkill Digital has built some of the world’s largest digital skills programmes, reaching more than 600,000 people globally, in partnership with the likes of Google, TikTok, Microsoft and Mastercard.
Gori is passionate about building inclusive and accessible learning platforms that meet the needs of the future workforce, whilst pushing the boundaries of learning through technology.