NCG appoints top public servant Peter Lauener as chair

One of the country’s most respected public servants, who previously led the Education and Skills Funding Agency, is joining national college and training group NCG as chair.

After a long and distinguished career Peter Lauener retired from the Civil Service in November 2017.

He advised numerous Secretaries of State on education and skills policy, and most recently led the Education and Skills Funding Agency, where he was the accounting officer for a budget of more than £60bn.   

Since retiring, Peter has been undertaking a short term interim role as chief executive of the Student Loans Company. Peter will join NCG in the Spring.  

Before leading the Skills Funding Agency and the Education Funding Agency, his career included the implementation of the Youth Training Scheme and of adult training when working for the Manpower Services Commission in the 1980s, the setting up of Training and Enterprise Councils in the 1990s and the development of the further education sector in the 2000s. 

Peter has championed skills in the UK through his role as official delegate for Worldskills and he helped in 2016-17 to establish the Institute for Apprenticeships which is responsible for setting standards for apprenticeships in England. 

Peter said: “I am looking forward to taking up this new role at NCG and getting to know the different colleges and organisations in the Group. 

“There is nothing more important than developing the skills of all our people and NCG has a critical role in supporting learners, businesses and communities.” 

Joe Docherty, NCG chief executive, said: “Peter has played a leading role in the shaping of education and training in the UK for some years now.

“He has steered a course for the Skills Funding Agency and the Education Funding Agency through a period of great political and economic change, and consequently made a positive impact on the education and training of people across the country.

“Peter’s insight and experience across the top of tiers of the education industry will be hugely valuable to NCG as we continue to grow and develop our offering.

“NCG works with thousands of learners, employers and apprentices every year and having an expert team at the helm is very important.”

Peter lives in Sheffield, the home of NCG’s national training provider Intraining, and will take up his post from March 1, 2018.