Meet the Team
We have over 100 staff to support you on your learning journey
From our directors to our tutors, everyone has one goal in common – to change lives through learning.
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Find out more about the people behind Somerset Skills & Learning and put names and faces to who you might be dealing with. All of our staff are passionate about transforming lives through learning.
Executive Director & Chief Executive
Kathryn joined SS&L in June 2015. Prior to this she was the Director of Funding, Information & Resources at Somerset College. During her 22 year career within the education and training sector she has undertaken a variety of roles including, Senior Manager for SS&L, Curriculum Manager (ICT / Business) for Somerset County Council and Corporate Training Officer for Bristol City Council.
Non Executive Director
Non Executive Director
Sarah has worked in further and higher education for over 30 years. After qualifying as a teacher, she began her career in the FE sector, going on to curriculum management and quality assurance and improvement roles. After 7 years as Academic Director of the international pathway centre at the University of Exeter, Sarah recently moved to King's College London where she is Director of King's Foundations, providing pre degree and English language programmes to international students.
Non Executive Director
Director of Curriculum
Justin's passion for teaching and training began while teaching English as a foreign language in Spain. Before joining the SS&L family, Justin worked in the youth sector for 10 years supporting young people to reach their full potential through access to education, employment or training. Prior to his appointment to SS&L, Justin formed part of the Somerset Rural Youth Project's senior management team as Programme Manager.
Chair & Non Executive Director
Nicola Squibb joins the board of SS&L as non-executive director bringing over twenty years experience of working in the careers, employability, education and training sectors. Nicola has held a number of senior management positions at Prospects Services a leading national employee owned company most recently as Regional Director in the South West and the Shaw Trust a national charity. Prior to this Nicola was a board member of Careerfinder Ltd and commenced her career at Bridgwater College and Somerset College.
Staff Director
Emma joined SS&L in February 2020 after years of experience in the education and care sectors. She first learned of SS&L after working towards a diploma in Business Administration with us. She enjoys problem solving and utilising technology to update processes.
Staff Director
Head of Curriculum
Project Development Delivery Manager
Early Years Academy Manager
Delivery Manager - Multiply
Course Leader – English & Maths
Course Leader – Schools
Course Leader – Early Years
Quality Manager
Learning Coordinator (Multiply)
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Course Leader
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Janet’s passion and purpose is to enable people development through personal and professional growth opportunities, joining the SS&L Community Learning Team in September 2020.
Leaving a career within the corporate commercial world Janet transitioned into a career within education and training in 2014, after many years working directly and indirectly with a diverse range of industries and sectors, to follow her passion to utilise her skills, experience and passion to enable people development through personal and professional growth opportunities.
Janet’s expertise includes:
Personal Development courses including Developing Personal Confidence and Self-Awareness, Effective Time Management, Understanding Imposter Syndrome, Developing Emotional Resilience, Understanding Communication and Behaviours styles, Developing Assertive Communications and Behaviours, Problem Solving, Career Transition, and Menopause Awareness and more…………
As well as personal development Janet is an enabler of skills development and offers insight courses into subjects such as, An Insight into Volunteering, An Insight into Counselling and Starting your own business - the basics and essential elements you need to know.
Having a varied career based around customer service, leadership and management, recruitment, sales, manufacturing, Janet is a Tutor and Assessor for accredited and apprenticeship courses also.
Very solutions focused living by her mantra ‘ there is always a solution, sometimes we have to dig deeper to find the solution’ enables her to help others through coaching and guidance.
Enjoys Walking - has walked the entire 630 miles of the South West Coast Path (not all in one go!)
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Kay has worked in the creative arts and health & wellbeing sectors for over thirty years. Teaching and inspiring others in the development of their own creativity is now Kay’s primary focus and she was delighted to join Somerset Skills & Learning in the Summer of 2021.
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As a Digital Skills tutor I really enjoy being around people, contributing positively to people’s digital lives and the wider digital community. Technology has moved on so quickly, which had meant many people have felt left behind and at times have missed opportunities due to a lot of services moving to online-only platforms.
The aim of my role is to minimize digital exclusion and enhance further digital skills. Delivering digital skills to all age groups from 6+ year olds and teenagers, right up to my oldest group aged 80+. I teach skills such as, how to switch on a smart device and make a call, to more advanced digital skill sessions on coding and website design.
Digital skill can sound overwhelming, especially when we see friends and family whizzing away on their devices like there is no tomorrow. I only know too well how people who want to learn skills are shown so quickly they don’t get the chance to see how it was done.
The Digital skills session we run is all about helping you become confident to use your devices in the way you want. It may be that you are wanting to do online shopping, find information or further your career. Doing a digital skills course will provide you with the skills and confidence to become independent and stay safe whilst using your devices.
Account Manager - Covers Mendip and Wiltshire
Laurie joined SS&L in June 2018, after six years’ experience of working within the education and learning industry including apprenticeships, adult learning and employability lead projects. Laurie is part of the employment engagement team and works with business’s across Somerset to support apprenticeship recruitment and upskilling for employed staff.
Head of Employer Engagement
Dave joined SS&L in 2017 after almost 15 years managing the commercial team in the West Country for Global, the media group behind Classic FM, Heart and Capital. With an accomplished background in managing client relationships and leading sales teams, Dave works with employers to help develop and grow their businesses through apprenticeships and staff training. Dave also leads our marketing team.
Account Manager - Multiply
Mark joined SS&L in November 2022 having previously gained over 10 years Account Management experience in the Financial Services sector. This included over 7 years working as a qualified Financial Adviser and 4 years in a Business Development role for a Financial Product Provider. During this time, Mark, has built a wealth of experience building and managing client relationships, in order, to deliver mutually beneficial outcomes.
At SS&L Mark works with employers to help develop and upskill staff numeracy skills and confidence, in relation to the new government Multiply Project.
Recruitment Adviser
Philippa joined the SS&L Employer Engagement Team in September 2022 after working for five years in recruitment and onboarding on the HPC project. Before this, she spent more than 14 years working for an NHS Trust where she was responsible for providing and managing a comprehensive administration service for a countywide clinical team. She has a wealth of experience in a broad range of administrative and customer service duties and enjoys sharing her existing knowledge, as well as learning new skills.
Account Manager
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Laura joined SS&L in July 2022, she has returned to the teaching and learning environment where for 13 years she worked with apprentices, schools, colleges and employers. Her positive approach enabled her to build and promote an all-inclusive supportive approach for the learner and the employer.
For the past 3 years Laura has worked as a Business consultant, working across Somerset and Wiltshire creating growing and maintaining partnerships.
She is excited and motivated to be working as part of the Employer Engagement Team at SS&L.
Recruitment Outreach Co-ordinator
Rob has previously worked at Bridgwater and Taunton College in their Business Development team focussing on Business Development, employer engagement and apprentice recruitment.
Prior to this he was a year 5/6 primary school teacher working at 3 local primary schools.
Previous job roles have been managing the Taunton and West Somerset Children Centres and working at the West of England School and College for young people with little or no sight.
Rob is a unit who loves rugby having been a player, coach and spectator he also has a weakness for Hot Chilli Sauce, Beer and Heavy Metal music.
Community Learning Lead
Sara is our Community Learning Partnership Lead who oversees community learning, contracts, performance and quality and compliance. She is passionate about supporting others, changing lives and has a wealth of experience in engaging with the community and delivering quality education and training. Sara enjoys seeing the positive impact that the fantastic projects have.
Community Partnership Coordinator
Andy is an experienced Community Partnerships Coordinator and Staff Director. He is very keen to nurture, support and help develop adult learning opportunities for disadvantaged groups across Mendip and Sedgemoor.
Community Learning Administrator
Anna provides excellent administrative support to the wider community learning team and our community learning partners. Anna co-ordinates meetings, communicates with external partners and tutors, creates contracts, collates due diligence requirements, records payments to partners, quality checks learning plans, inputs data and updates performance data. Anna’s role is fundamental to community learning.
Anna is also a dog groomer and has to admit- dogs really are her best friends!
Community Learning Partnership Co-ordinator
Catherine brings a wealth of experience in community learning, networking and partnerships.
Community Learning Co-ordinator
Based in Glastonbury, Linda, who is responsible for community learning in South Somerset, joins SS&L after a long career in community development through the lens of local food. Over the years Linda has worked in sustainable tourism on the Levels and Moors, development of food buying groups, facilitating access to land for growing projects and, more recently, cooking up feasts. Linda enjoys playing an active part in bringing people together to build confidence and improve essential skills thereby contributing not only to personal health and wellbeing, but also to building stronger communities. Back in Somerset after some time away, Linda is keen to find out what learners are looking for and to work together with our talented tutors to make great courses happen.
Community Learning Co-ordinator
Based in Frome, Emily oversees the community learning across Mendip ensuring a programme of delivery is in place to support the local community with learning, health and wellbeing. Emily networks across Mendip providing learning to community groups and ensuring SS&L has a diverse offer for the Mendip community. Emily manages 2 tutors and utilises their skills and experience to enhance our programme of delivery.
Emily has an extensive background in community learning programmes and supporting the community and a lovely sense of humour!
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Janet’s passion and purpose is to enable people development through personal and professional growth opportunities, joining the SS&L Community Learning Team in September 2020.
Leaving a career within the corporate commercial world Janet transitioned into a career within education and training in 2014, after many years working directly and indirectly with a diverse range of industries and sectors, to follow her passion to utilise her skills, experience and passion to enable people development through personal and professional growth opportunities.
Janet’s expertise includes:
Personal Development courses including Developing Personal Confidence and Self-Awareness, Effective Time Management, Understanding Imposter Syndrome, Developing Emotional Resilience, Understanding Communication and Behaviours styles, Developing Assertive Communications and Behaviours, Problem Solving, Career Transition, and Menopause Awareness and more…………
As well as personal development Janet is an enabler of skills development and offers insight courses into subjects such as, An Insight into Volunteering, An Insight into Counselling and Starting your own business - the basics and essential elements you need to know.
Having a varied career based around customer service, leadership and management, recruitment, sales, manufacturing, Janet is a Tutor and Assessor for accredited and apprenticeship courses also.
Very solutions focused living by her mantra ‘ there is always a solution, sometimes we have to dig deeper to find the solution’ enables her to help others through coaching and guidance.
Enjoys Walking - has walked the entire 630 miles of the South West Coast Path (not all in one go!)
Tutor
Kay has worked in the creative arts and health & wellbeing sectors for over thirty years. Teaching and inspiring others in the development of their own creativity is now Kay’s primary focus and she was delighted to join Somerset Skills & Learning in the Summer of 2021.
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As a Digital Skills tutor I really enjoy being around people, contributing positively to people’s digital lives and the wider digital community. Technology has moved on so quickly, which had meant many people have felt left behind and at times have missed opportunities due to a lot of services moving to online-only platforms.
The aim of my role is to minimize digital exclusion and enhance further digital skills. Delivering digital skills to all age groups from 6+ year olds and teenagers, right up to my oldest group aged 80+. I teach skills such as, how to switch on a smart device and make a call, to more advanced digital skill sessions on coding and website design.
Digital skill can sound overwhelming, especially when we see friends and family whizzing away on their devices like there is no tomorrow. I only know too well how people who want to learn skills are shown so quickly they don’t get the chance to see how it was done.
The Digital skills session we run is all about helping you become confident to use your devices in the way you want. It may be that you are wanting to do online shopping, find information or further your career. Doing a digital skills course will provide you with the skills and confidence to become independent and stay safe whilst using your devices.
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