FE commissioner David Collins and outgoing Association of Colleges chief executive Martin Doel (pictured) are among the big names in the FE sector to be recognised in the New Year’s Honours List.
Dr Collins has been awarded a knighthood for services to further education after working in the sector for more than 35 years. He took his first post as principal in 1993, spending 16 years at the helm of South Cheshire College. Dr Collins also held national positions as president of the Association of Colleges (AoC) and interim chief executive of the former Learning and Skills Improvement Service. His most recent college job was as interim principal of the Guildford College Group, before he was appointed the first FE commissioner in 2013.
Mr Doel has been made a CBE, also for his work in the FE sector, after spending seven years as the chief executive of the AoC. Last month he announced he would in April be taking up the inaugural Further Education Trust for Leadership Professorship for Further Education and Skills, based at the UCL Institute of Education. He will begin the role on a part-time basis, before taking it on full-time in September.
Prior to joining the AoC, Mr Doel enjoyed a successful career in the Royal Air Force, also holding the role of director of training and education for all three armed services.
“To be awarded a CBE is a great honour and one which I am delighted to receive,” he said. “Colleges are truly inspirational and it is important to me and everyone at AoC that the sector is recognised for the key role it plays in educating and training millions of people every year.”
Another recipient of a CBE is Richard Atkins, principal of Exeter College and former AoC president. During Mr Atkins’ time at the helm, Exeter was named the Outstanding FE Provider of the Year at the TES FE Awards in 2012, as well as being rated outstanding by Ofsted. Mr Atkins, who joined the college in 2002, is due to retire in 2016.
“I’m obviously very pleased [about the CBE],” he told TES. “It is in recognition of the work I’ve done at the college and at the AoC. I genuinely was not expecting it; I received the letter completely out of the blue. I’m delighted.”
Other figures in the FE sector to be recognised include Sam Parrett, principal of Bromley College of Further and Higher Education, who has been awarded an OBE, as has Catherine Hill, deputy principal of Blackpool and The Fylde College. Among those to be made MBE were: Margherita Joan Biller, head of maths at York College; Clare Harrigan, chair of the board of governors at Leeds College of Building; Anita McGowan, lecturer and personal tutor at Croydon College; and Ben Graham, vocational programme manager at Foxes Academy.
Here is the full list of awards recipients recognised for their work in the FE and skills sector:
Knight Bachelor
David Collins, further education commissioner
CBE
Richard Atkins. principal of Exeter College and former president of the Association of Colleges
Martin Doel, chief executive of the Association of Colleges
Bobby Paton, managing director of Accenture (North East)
OBE
Catherine Hill, deputy principal at Blackpool and The Fylde College
Sam Parrett, principal at Bromley College of Further and Higher Education
Richard Ward, head of offender learning at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Sally Cooke (for services to further education accessibility and inclusion)
MBE
Margherita Biller, head of maths at York College
Timothy Brown, managing director at Superior Group
David Cowell, managing director at Melton Learning Hub
Ian Eva, apprentice manager at Jaguar Land Rover
Ben Graham, vocational programme manager at Foxes Academy
Clare Harrigan, chair of the board of governors at Leeds College of Building
Anita McGowan, lecturer and personal tutor at Croydon College
Kathleen O’Rourke, vice-chair of the governing body at City and Islington College
Maria Hackett, head of the training department at South West College (Northern Ireland)
Philip Round, former chief executive at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Group Training Association
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