LSC Announce Appointment of Ray Dowd to Carry agenda for change Forward

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The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has announced the appointment of Ray Dowd as their agenda for change Champion.

Ray chairs the Association of Colleges “Higher Education in Further Education” steering group, representing colleges at a national level, and also chairs CENTRA, a North West FE professional development body. He is also the part owner of the Awarding Body Consortium (ABC) that accredits an impressive 250 qualifications approved by the Qualifications Curriculum Authority (QCA). Ray is also the former President of the Association of Colleges Management (ACM) and a past board member of the Association of Colleges (AoC).

At present Mr. Dowd is the Principal and Chief Executive of Wirral Metropolitan College. At this institution his abilities were fully engaged as he brought the college out of the financial difficulties it had become embroiled in ““ a level of debt that ran at £14 million. The college is now thriving with strong financial management, increasing student numbers and a significantly improved inspection profile. He will take up his post in March 2006, and will be based at the LSC National Office in Coventry.

LSC Reaction

Speaking of his appointment, Mr. Dowd said: “I want to see our sector proud, confident, trusted and valued nationally and regionally as well as locally; recognised for its vision and ability to contribute to the success of learners, employers and our country. I believe that the post-16 education sector is on the cusp of a tremendously exciting period and my role as the agenda for change Champion will enable us as a sector to influence current thinking on the Further Education reform agenda.”

Mark Haysom, the Chief Executive of the LSC, stressed that the appointment of the right person with the right experience was essential in what he sees as a vital year for FE. He said: “Ray ticks all the boxes and I am delighted that he will be working with us. I really believe that 2006 is the year for Further Education – the time for action is now, and agenda for change is the trigger that I believe will allow the sector to contribute significantly to this country’s economic and social prosperity”.

The Chair of the LSC, Chris Banks, echoed Mark Haysom’s comments on the importance of the agenda for change programme, saying: “agenda for change is critical to ensuring that the LSC and the sector continue to build on the progress made, in order to bring about a step change to improve outcomes for learners and employers. I am very pleased that Ray Dowd will be joining us to drive forward this important programme. I know that he will help us enormously in turning the agenda for change vision into a reality. I look forward to working with him.”

Jethro Marsh

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