Speaking of Excellence – The Podcast of the Quality Professionals Awards
In 2024, Mesma founded The Quality Professionals Awards for Further Education and Employability.
The awards aim to spotlight the sector’s often unsung heroes, the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that quality and compliance deliver results for learners and job seekers.
Our ambition is that the awards should leave a legacy of quality improvement across the sector. By sharing the stories of the winners and finalists, we hope that others will be inspired to be bolder and more ambitious and have a bigger impact across the sectors.
We hope you enjoy the series of podcasts and resources – you can access these below.
Please also visit The Quality Professionals Awards website for further information on how to enter the 2025 awards and sign up for updates.
Huge thanks must go to all the sponsors and supporters of the awards, including our headline partners – The Institute of Employability Professionals and Occupational Awards Limited.
Podcast Episodes
Here are the links to the podcast episodes…
Lou Doyle is joined by Melissa Gardiner (then Associate Director of Quality and Performance, Middlesbrough College), Emma Simpson (Teaching and Learning Mentor, Apprenticeships at Middlesbrough College) and Tracey Bedford (Head of Quality at WS Training Ltd.)
One of the most significant shifts since the apprenticeship reforms took hold has been the move from programmes dominated by assessing existing skills to those that set out to develop new knowledge, skills, and behaviours. Many providers and trainers are still on this journey.
What have our guests learned about the transition within their own organisations that might help inform changes for others in the FE and skills sector?
In this episode, we explore the importance of cultivating a continuous improvement mindset. We discuss strategies for fostering a culture of innovation, overcoming resistance to change, and effectively measuring success.
It features Danni Duric (Reed in Partnership), Jogita Govind (Travis Perkins plc), and Andy Tait (Performance Learning Group).
With rare exception, all providers will find themselves in a situation where some or all of their provision is struggling to meet the standards set. It takes strong leadership to take colleagues on a journey of improvement.
What have our guests learned about transforming the quality of education within their own organisations that might help inform the leadership practice of others?
Lou’s guests are Ranjit Singh (Hull College), Sarah Burrows (PMA Education), Lee Lister (Education Partnership North East).
Watch this space
