Adult education champion Sue Pember is joined by college principals, apprenticeship leaders and WorldSkills among those recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s honours.

Caroline Allen, who retired this summer as principal of Orchard Hill College, a specialist SEND college that runs an academy trust, has been made a dame, while Dr Pember, director of policy and external relations at Holex, has been made a CBE for services to adult education.

Careers and Enterprise Company chair Christine Hodgson has also been made a CBE. Meanwhile, Louise Proctor, head of the National Careers Service, is among a number of education figures receiving an OBE.

These also include Graham Razey, chief executive of the EKC (East Kent College) Group, Corrienne Peasgood, principal of City College Norwich, and Alan Sherry,  former principal of Glasgow Kelvin College.

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Dr Pember, a judge for the Tes FE Awards, previously received an OBE in 2000.  As the lead director for adult and further education in the former Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, she gained extensive experience of working with ministers. She led on several national adult education initiatives, including the Skills for Life (English and maths) strategy.

She was the principal of Canterbury College for 10 years, and led the post-16 and adult education service in the Enfield Local Authority. Prior to this she trained as a teacher in Wales, taught in colleges in east and north London and completed a doctorate in business administration as a mature student.

Dr Pember said: “I am delighted to receive this honour and regard it as an acknowledgement of the dedication of all those who work in the world of adult education. I am very proud of the adult community education sector and feel this honour is not just about me but also recognises the work the sector does with adults who may have missed out at school and adult education gives them a second chance. 

“I hope that everybody who has supported me throughout my career feels some pride in the fact that I have received this honour because I would not be in this position without their help, support and continued enthusiasm, energy and passion for lifelong learning.”

Dr Allen, of Orchard Hill College, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be receiving this honour. I have been privileged to work with very talented students with special needs and with highly skilled staff, senior leaders, board members and governors at Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust. It is a unique and remarkable organisation and I owe the achievement of this honour to the support and commitment of the people there.”

Meanwhile, WorldSkills training manager Peter Walters will be honoured with an MBE, while WorldSkills Abu Dhabi beauty therapy gold medallist Kaiya Swain is to receive a British Empire Medal. 

Ms Proctor, of the National Careers Service, said: “I am really honoured to be recognised in this way.  I am passionate about the power of careers advice and how it can change lives for the better. I am inspired every day by the talented, hardworking people that I work with and by the thousands of professional careers advisers that are improving people’s lives as I write.”

Eileen Milner, chief executive of the Education and Skills Funding Agency, said she was delighted that Ms Proctor’s hard work had been recognised. “Louise should be very proud of her outstanding achievements. She has dedicated her entire career to supporting people to improve their circumstances and life chances and played a pivotal role in establishing a successful National Careers Service where every £1 spent by the service benefits the economy by £17.”

Graham Razey, chief executive of EKC Group, said: “From the very first lesson I delivered, I was hooked on how further education transforms lives. Over the years I have been hugely inspired by our students, who often overcome significant barriers to keep studying, and achieve their aspirations. Seeing their smiles when they achieve their first certificate or secure their dream job has been all the reward I have needed.

“I am truly honoured to receive this OBE and hope in some way that it helps to raise the profile of technical and vocational education. I have always championed the role that further education colleges play within their local communities and I feel privileged to have been a part of many fantastic partnerships between local groups, businesses and the colleges which I have led.

“I have been blessed with having a great network supporting me, but I would like in particular to thank my wife and son who have been my rocks, and with whom I look forward to celebrating this honour.”

FE in the New Year’s honours

Dames Commander of the Order of the British Commander

• Caroline Allen, former principal and chief executive  of Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust, for services to education.

Knights Bachelor

• Peter Estlin, formerly Lord Mayor of London, for services to international business to inclusion and to skills.

CBE

• Christine Hodgson, chair of Capgemini UK and the Careers and Enterprise Company, for services to education. 
• Sue Pember, director of policy and external relations at Holex, for services to adult education. 

OBE

• Louise Proctor, head of the national careers service, for services to education and to careers.
• Graham Razey, chief executive of the EKC Group and member of the Principals’ Reference Group, for services to education. 
• Alan Sherry, formerly principal of Glasgow Kelvin College, for services to education. 
• Dawn Fitt, engineering apprenticeship training co-ordinator at Bedford College, for services to training, to inclusion and to diversity in engineering. 
• Corrienne Peasgood, principal of City College Norwich, for services to safeguarding and to construction skills in Norfolk.
• Pauline Anderson, director of learning and skills at Derby City Council and chair of the trustees of the Traveller Movement, for services to children and young people in education.

MBE

• Diana Batchelor, principal and chief executive of Abingdon and Witney College, for services to further and adult education.
• John Butler, formerly chair of governors at Furness College, for services to further education.
• Aziza Chaudry, quality manager of Adult Education Wolverhampton, for services to education.
• Lisa Dancer, adult education quality manager, for services to adult learners with mental health issues in the London Borough of Hillingdon.
• Carolyn Keen, chair of governors at Westminster Adult Education Service, for services to adult education and to the community in London.
• Amy Leonard, founder of the Transformation Trust, for services to young people and to education.
• Jennifer Monk, head of education at Clayfield House, for services to vulnerable young people.
• Elaine Billington, formerly chair of the North West Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network, for services to apprenticeships and to young people in North West England.
• Francis Clayton, chair of the Yorkshire and the Humber Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, for services to apprenticeships.
• Dominique Unsworth, for services to apprenticeships.
• Peter Walters, training manager at WorldSkills UK, for services to the WorldSkills competition.
• John White, director of the Southwark Construction Skills Centre, for services to the community in South London.

British Empire Medal

• Gary Robert Chambers, head of estates and facilities management at South Eastern Regional College in Northern Ireland, for services to education.
• Timothy John Merrett, dairy farmer, for services to education in Gloucestershire.
• Amanda Joanne Reeve, curriculum manager at Norfolk County Council Adult Learning, for services to education.
• Terence James Lowe, executive chairman of Electrical Safety UK Limited, for services to business and skills in the electrical engineering industry.
• Kaiya Rose Swain, for services to the WorldSkills competition.