Getting hundreds of college leaders on their feet dancing is no mean feat - especially when you’ve just taken to a conference stage straight after a less-than-inspiring speech by a government minister. It is, however, what Shakira Martin achieved at the Association of Colleges’ annual conference last month.
Like her musical namesake, the NUS national president is known in educational circles by her first name. She is only the second NUS leader to have come through the further education route rather than university; this year, she was re-elected for a second term, easily batting away opposition from the union’s hard left.
Martin has remained firmly focused on raising the profile of FE and calling for more funding, as well as tackling the effects of student hardship. The NUS Poverty Commission, which she set up, published its first report this year.
The single mother - who has spoken openly about her troubled youth - is certainly not afraid of speaking her mind. A meeting she had with post-18 review chair Philip Augar earlier this year must surely be the first occasion on which the former banker had been addressed as “bruv”.
She also managed to lobby Theresa May in person, having crashed the 1922 Committee reception at the Conservative Party Conference. Martin helpfully offered to assist the prime minister with student issues and the social mobility agenda - even stressing that if the prime minister was tied up with Brexit, the government could “do it after”.
Her blunt but constructive approach to relationship building has earned Martin the respect of government officials and FE sector leaders alike, and helped the student body become a credible and respected voice once more.
Tes’ people of the year 2018
