David Jones, OBE, stepped down as Chief Executive/Principal of Coleg Cambria at the end of 2019 after steering the institution to great acclaim. A champion of work-based learning, apprenticeships, fundraising and accessible education for people of all ages, he has made a vast contribution to shaping the careers of tens of thousands of young and mature learners over more than three decades.
Initially a chartered electronics engineer, as the CEO/Principal of Deeside College from 2004, David led its mergers from 2009 to 2013 with the Welsh College of Horticulture, Llysfasi College and Wrexham’s Yale College, to create Coleg Cambria.
In addition to a wide range of previous non-executive appointments, David is currently the Chair of Qualifications Wales (the regulator of qualifications in Wales) and of the Defence Electronics Component Agency (DECA). He is also a Board member of Estyn (the Office of His Majesty’s Inspector of Schools and Colleges in Wales) and of the NSPCC Appeals Board for Wales.
In 2017 David was the first and only ever non-England FE winner of the highly prestigious Education and Training Foundation, TES UK FE Leader of the Year. David was a commissioner for the UK-wide Independent Commission on the College of the Future which published its reports in 2020 and 2021. David was the chair of three ETB reviews: Laois and Offaly (LOETB), Kilkenny and Carlow (KCETB), and Kildare and Wicklow (KWETB, and jointly led the sectoral review of ETBs which reported in March 2023.
David has been commissioned by the Transformation Office of DFHERIS to complete an “Evaluation of Irish FET Practitioner Staffing Structures in ETBs Against International Comparators”.
Some of the key elements to this are understanding where the sector is at in Ireland and understanding what FET staff think the problems are and trying to find some of the solutions, while also understanding and appreciating the context. The report is about making suggestions and proposals for what is important in the next 20 years and beyond.
Noreen Reilly is the current Principal of Waterford College of Further Education, having previously served as Principal of a DEIS Community College. Noreen's commitment to education extends beyond traditional settings, having served as a Home School Community Liaison Teacher, Visiting Teacher for Travellers, Prison Teacher, and Home Economics Teacher, where she worked tirelessly to support students facing educational barriers and promoted inclusivity in education. Her extensive experience in addressing educational disadvantage has equipped her with a deep understanding of the complex challenges faced by marginalised communities and a passion for creating equitable learning opportunities for all.
In this lightning talk, Noreen covers why she believes that the general perception of FET needs to change. Noreen strongly feels that FET must not be viewed as a backup, but rather a first line choice with ease of access, which sets up our learners for employment and further and higher education.
A seasoned broadcaster, communicator and polished MC, Sonya delights in holding a room together, driving home the key messages and encapsulating take outs.
Sonya is passionate about sharing her own story of growth and empowerment. Equipping the audience with practical tools to control the controllable and manage the uncontrollable in work and life.
Sonya discusses her journey in FET in Coláiste Dhúlaigh and progressing to her degree in communications, which has enabled her to develop her career as a communicator. Sonya has held a range of roles over the last years before advocating for workplace equality and becoming an activist. She still identifies a gap in her learning and acknowledges the role of education in bridging this gap when she completed her MA. Sonya now advocates for educational equality and recognition of prior learning (RPL) which is critical for ensuring every citizen can be part of education, the wider community and society.
