Joanne leads the consortium’s project bidding and delivery processes. Working closely with the LEP to pursue funding streams that can help to deliver projects to close the skills gaps for employers across the Leeds City Region. Joanne leads the core project team to ensure contracts are developed, implemented and executed successfully.

Joanne has worked in the public sector for over 25 years with experience in project management of large-scale complex EU and non-EU contracts from bid inception, performance management of supply chains to project completion. She has spent 16 years specifically within further education, maximising external funding opportunities with overall management responsibility for several regional and national Prime Contractor based ESF programmes.

Louise has worked for the Consortium since 2002 and leads on strategic partnerships. Working in collaboration with colleges, stakeholders and strategic partners, Louise ensures that the consortium delivers skills training to employers in the Leeds City Region in line with our LEP priorities.

Louise leads on the Joint Venture Partnership with colleges, as well as the Leeds City Region Skills Network, which connects colleges, universities, private providers and the voluntary sector.

Louise has worked in further education for over 25 years. A graduate of University College London and member of the British Psychological Society, Louise has taught in both FE colleges and universities.

Joanne is responsible for identifying and executing training and skills development programmes for employers and colleges within the Leeds City Region. Joanne leads on developing new training programmes in the Construction, Low Carbon, Transport, Logistics, Digital and Creative Sectors, to deliver a range of ESF projects.

Joanne has extensive experience of managing skills-related engagement in many sectors nationally and regionally - cyber security, digital, construction, advanced manufacturing, rail, energy efficiency, health, and climate change.

With a proven track record of project management, Joanne has developed successful proposals, costings, and secured and delivered complex and large-scale projects.

Clair’s role involves identifying and managing various skills development programmes and maximising opportunities for employers and colleges in Leeds City Region to access funding and support. Clair leads on developing training for various sectors including Creative and Digital, Business, Finance, Hospitality, Retail and Health and Social Care.

With a background in FE, Clair is an experienced relationship manager with vast experience of stakeholder and project management alongside employer engagement and has worked for the Consortium since 2009.

As a Skills Advisor, Jeremy liaises with businesses and organisations within the Leeds City Region focusing specifically within the Finance, Business, Creative and Digital sectors.

Jeremy’s role is to support businesses to fulfil their skills development/training needs, which will lead to growth for the individual businesses and, in turn lead to growth within the sector. As an advisor, he will link up employers with partner training providers and make sure that employer feedback helps shape the training offer in the region.

Jeremy has a wealth of experience working with employers from a wide range of sectors and working on ESF/ESIF funded projects such as the Skills Fund, the Skills Enhancement Fund, Workplace Learning and more recently the LEP skills service.

Jas supports both businesses and providers to meet local employer skills and training requirements within the Leeds City Region. Jas’ focus is on the Manufacturing and Engineering sectors. Jas has extensive experience of employer supported training and working with regional funding streams. Jas can support both partners, colleges, employers and stakeholders to best utilise appropriate funding provision.

Jas is currently working closely with Bradford College to develop and support their training offer to all business in the Bradford districts. Jas is keen to support Bradford businesses to access The Skills Service to meet their current skills gaps and future skills requirements.

Brydie supports businesses in West Yorkshire by identifying skills gaps and developing skills solutions within the Construction, Low Carbon, Transport and Logistics sectors. Whilst partnering with colleges and other training providers, Brydie will work with organisations to build a strategic plan for development, whilst drawing down the ESF funding to support this.

With a background in learning and development, Brydie has worked with SMEs and large employers for a number of years to map out competencies needed by organisations and individual employees, by identifying skills gaps and providing solutions to enable individual and organisational growth.

David’s role as a Skills Advisor focuses on Engineering and Manufacturing. David brings together businesses and providers to deliver workforce training and skills solutions that can contribute to business growth and regional business development.

David has a background in finance, teaching abroad and in FE and as an assessor for Apprenticeships. David also has experience of working for private training providers which included experience of ESIF and commercial contracts.

Sharlotte is responsible for employer engagement and developing skills solutions predominantly within the Finance and Business, Creative and Digital and Medical Technologies sectors across the Leeds City Region. Sharlotte works closely with partner colleges, universities, training providers and stakeholders on developing provision to bridge skills gaps to support employee progression and business growth within these sectors.

In Sharlotte’s previous role as Skills Engagement Advisor with the LEP Skills Service she supported businesses from across the Leeds City Region to achieve their growth ambitions through workforce development and training. Sharlotte also held a key role in the development and implementation of a high value fully funded training programme for North Yorkshire employers during her time working in Calderdale Colleges’ External Funding Unit.

Michaela is responsible for working with Leeds City Region employers to identify training needs, establish suitable options and source appropriate funding. Michaela leads on the Hospitality and Tourism, Retail and Health and Social Care sectors and deals with enquiries from businesses in Craven, Harrogate, York and Selby.

Michaela has extensive strategic experience at senior management level within a number of industries including manufacturing, retail, construction and the charity sector. With a proven track record in producing successful business plans and funding proposals, Michaela has been working closely with SMEs for the last ten years to support start-ups, grow businesses and up-skill the workforce.

Kay is responsible for internal/external audit and compliance and also manages and co-ordinates the funding claims between the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges and the Managing Authority. Her role encompasses all consortium projects and includes making sure that all evidence conforms to the European Social Fund guidelines, updating processes in line with any changes in guidance, making claims to the Managing Authority and facilitating any external audits.

Kay comes to the team from the Education and Skills Funding Agency, where she worked on the Provider Risk and Assurance team, a role that she first started in 2005 for the Learning and Skills Council. As such, she has a wide range of experience covering several funding streams and post 16 learning.

Georgia manages the contract and supply chain team. The team maintain and manage the relationships between delivery partners and sub-contractors and WYCC once a Funding Agreement is live. Georgia and the team manages the performance of the delivery of contracted activity against profile, ensuring quality assurance. Her role also includes coordinating WYCC procurement to expand the supply chain and offer, from advertisement all the way through to contracting.

Georgia has over 15 years’ experience working in the training and education industry both in the private and public sector, with the last 8 years spent working within FE managing relationships and contracts within externally funded projects across a breadth of industries and initiatives nationally.

Joanna is responsible for developing and maintaining strong relationships with delivery partners and sub-contractors ensuring WYCC contracts are managed effectively from approval to closure.

Joanna has a wide and varied work history within HE, Commercial, Professional and Manufacturing sectors including training within the private sector. For the past 11 years Joanna has worked within the public sector managing a number of funded projects, accounts and relationships across the country.

Clare is responsible for the contract management of individual agreements with delivery partners, sub-contractors and employers from approval through to closure.

Clare has over 15 years’ experience working in the training and education industry both in the private and public sector, working on a suite of ESF funded initiatives.

Over the last nine years Clare has successfully contract managed a diverse portfolio of supply chain providers across the North of England and a broad range of SME employers within key economic sector areas of the Leeds City Region.

Lyn is responsible for the contract management of partners and sub-contractors delivering for the WYCC once the Funding Agreement is live. Her role includes ensuring all delivery partners and sub-contractors conform to ESIF guidelines and deliver contracted training.

Lyn has 12 years’ experience working in the training and education industry mainly in public sector, working for Calderdale College. Most recently years spent working very closely with the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership delivering employer led training.

Emma is responsible for the overall development and implementation of procedures that support the effective contract management for WYCC Projects. Her role is to ensure clear linkages between engagement, supply chain and contract management, as well as the effective delivery of timely contracts to our partners.

Emma has nine years’ experience working in the training and education industry, mainly in the public sector working for Calderdale College one of the WYCC member colleges. Emma’s most recent experience was working very closely with the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership delivering employer led training.

Lucy is responsible for developing the reputation and brand of the consortium. Lucy’s role includes raising awareness of the ESF funded projects among stakeholders and making sure everyone is informed and engaged. She will support Joint Venture Colleges, providers and employers with their marketing and communications to deliver, successful programmes within the ESF projects.

Lucy’s day to day role includes stakeholder and media relations, social media management, web content development, copywriting, branding, campaign planning and PR.

Lucy has worked in public sector marketing and communications for over 15 years including further and higher education establishments, emergency services and the NHS.

Alice is responsible for supporting the Marketing and Communications Manager with the delivery of the marketing and communications strategy. Helping to raise awareness of the WYCC brand and ESF funded projects. In addition to this, Alice supports the Partnership Director with the co-ordination of the Leeds City Region Skills Network and enables the consortium to effectively engage in new opportunities.

Alice communicates developments within the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges, the Leeds City Region Skills Network, the region’s priority sectors and funding organisations with stakeholders. Previously, Alice has worked in the private training industry and is an experienced communicator and relationship manager.