Carole Stott MBE is stepping down from her role as chair of WorldSkills UK.

WorldSkills UK said that in over five years as chair, Ms Stott led the WorldSkills UK board through a period of great change, which saw Team UK placed consistently in the top 10 at international competitions, and the Skills Show grow from a legacy project of WorldSkills London to one of the most high-profile fixtures in the skills calendar.

A spokesperson for the organisation said: “Along with merging two organisations to become a more effective and cost-efficient single organisation, unified under a coherent brand, with Carole’s guidance, World Skills UK has developed an ambitious long-term strategy to increase its impact for young people and the UK economy.”

‘Change the national conversation’

“Over the next five years, WorldSkills UK is looking to change the national conversation, so that more young people enter vocational and apprenticeship career routes. A crucial part of this will be ensuring more young people are inspired about the benefits of apprenticeships and technical careers, which, in turn, will help us create a home-grown, productive and highly skilled workforce that will continue to position the UK as a world-class destination for trade and investment.

“Recognising their existing strong further education and skills sector knowledge, the board will be looking for a chair with strong business sector connections and influence to ensure that World Skills UK’s voice is relevant and heard by UK employers.”

Last month it was announced that Carole Stott would, at the end of the year, also step down as chair of the board at the Association of Colleges, where she has been chair since January 2013. Ms Stott is also chair of the governing body at Bath College. She was awarded her MBE in 2012 for services to adult education, after a long career in adult and further education.

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