As the Employment and Skills Manager for SEMLEP, Paul is responsible for working with partners to develop a range of initiatives that support skills enhancement for young people and adults, including apprenticeships, with the aim of producing a skilled and adaptable workforce, supporting existing employers and future growth in the area.
Paul heads a team of Enterprise Coordinators who are developing a network of business leaders, schools/colleges and careers education providers all working collaboratively to facilitate stable, quality, inspirational and relevant careers guidance for young people aged 11 to 19. The aim is to ensure young people leave education with the relevant skills, knowledge, appropriate qualifications and attitudes needed by employers.
With a degree in engineering, Paul has previously held the position of Managing Director for Desoutter, part of the Atlas Copco group and ran his own company. Following an experience of volunteering for Young Enterprise as a business adviser, helping young people develop their skills and potential, Paul joined the charity which lead to positions within SEMLEP and The Careers and Enterprise Company before re-joining SEMLEP in his current role.
Rachel is in charge of the Family Law team at DFA Law, specialising in children matters, divorce and finance. Coming from a family of teachers, her earliest memories are of her mum brining marking home and hand-writing end of year reports, so she understands the importance of the work teachers do. She believes that education is a vital part of preparing for the future, and that it is important to get the groundworks right in education in order to get really good quality candidates coming through the door, because the children that are coming through education now are the lawyers of the future. As a judge, Rachel is excited to see what work that goes on behind closed doors as teachers work to get the best out of each child.
As a partner that specialises in the education sector, supporting academy trusts within the area, Rebecca believes that education creates our stars of the future. MHA MacIntyre Hudson has a record of taking on school leavers each year, and so appreciates the benefits of an excellent education. She accepted the invitation to be a judge because education is so important, especially after the events of recent times and she’s looking forward to hearing stories of the excellent work that has been going on around the county. As an accountant, Rebecca is most looking forward to judging the Maths Teacher of the Year award.
Richard is chief executive of Delapre Abbey Preservation Trust, where there is a focus on engaging people of all ages from the community who are curious and want to learn more about the history of the site. He strongly believes that education is the way to improve people’s life chances and how important it is to celebrate teachers. He’s most looking forward to judging the Teacher of the Year award because it’s important to remember how important they have been through a really difficult time,and because he still has fond memories of the teachers that inspired him and gave him the opportunity to be what he wanted to be.
