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Skills Development Scotland
02/06/2008
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop today announced the appointments to the first Board of Skills Development Scotland (SDS). The six new members are: Evelyn McCann, William Stevely, Anne Douglas, Janet Lowe, Alan McGregor and Cay Stratton.
Ms Hyslop said:
"Following the recent appointment of Willy Roe as Chair of Skills Development Scotland I am pleased to now announce the Non-Executive Members of the Board. Together they bring a wealth of experience and skills which will greatly benefit SDS in its first years and drive forward the necessary work to effect a step change in skills development in Scotland."
Mr Roe commented:
"I welcome the Cabinet Secretary's appointments to the first Board of SDS - a team of talented, experienced people. I am delighted that we have been able to attract such a capable and diverse group for SDS and we are all looking forward to getting on with business."
Skills Development Scotland became fully operational on April 1, 2008, with a total of 1,500 staff transferring to the new organisation and a budget of £184m for 2008-09. SDS will be a catalyst for developing a distinctively Scottish approach to skills acquisition and utilisation, working with partners, to ensure the delivery of the Skills Strategy
The appointments for Evelyn McCann and William Stevely and will be for 2 years and will run from May 19, 2008 to May 18, 2010. The appointments for Anne Douglas, Janet Lowe, Alan McGregor and Cay Stratton will be for 4 years and will run from May 19, 2008 to May 18, 2012.
These posts are part-time and attract a remuneration of £6,240 per annum for a time commitment of two days per month.
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.
Biographical Notes
Evelyn McCann - Worked with Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire as Chief Executive from January 2001 to March 2008. Her key responsibility was the development of new economic opportunities for Ayrshire, in partnership with the private and public sector. Prior to this she operated in the UK training and education field for around 18 years. Evelyn is a past Board member of Learning and Teaching Scotland, Investors in People (Scotland) Board, Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire Board, Strathclyde European Partnership Board and Irvine Bay Regeneration Company. She is presently a member of the Court of the University of West of Scotland.
William Stevely - He was the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of The Robert Gordon University and has worked at a variety of levels in the university sector in Scotland. He served on the Board of Glasgow College of Technology and served as convenor of Universities Scotland for two years. He also served on the board of James Watt College, has been a member of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.
Anne Douglas - Joined the Engineers' and Managers' Association (EMA) in 1978. She was appointed National Officer in 1994 and has been a National Secretary with Prospect since its formation following a merger between EMA and IPMS in 2002. In 1999 Anne undertook a three month sabbatical and participated as one of the pilot group in the Norfolk Charitable Trust Programme; a Programme designed to create better informed decision making. Anne has been an elected member of the Scottish Trades Union Congress General Council since 1994 and served as President during the year 2004/5. In May 2008 Anne was appointed as Chair of the Scottish Union Learning Board.
Janet Lowe - Served as Principal of Lauder College, Dunfermline for 10 years, retiring in 2005. During her thirty year career in further and higher education, she also held posts at the University of Hull, Napier University and Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art. Janet's public service has included membership of the Garrick Committee, the Boards of the Scottish Further Education Unit and Scottish Enterprise and of the Court of Heriot Watt University. She was also a member of the Independent Review of Local Government Finance (the Burt Committee). She is currently a member of the Court of the University of Dundee, the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council and Chair of the Council's Skills Committee.
Alan McGregor - Is Director of the Training and Employment Research Unit (TERU) and Professor of Economic Development at Glasgow University. He has been an active researcher, consultant and policy advisor in the broad area of economic development for a long time. He has a keen interest in the skills agenda and has carried out many evaluations of skills interventions across the UK. In relation to policy work he has advised the House of Commons Committee on Scottish Affairs in a number of its enquiries, and he was advisor to the Scottish Executive's Cabinet Delivery Group on Closing the Opportunity Gap. Currently he is a member of the National Workforce Plus Partnership Board and Chairs its National Delivery Group.
Cay Stratton - She is currently a Special Advisor to the Chair on the UK Commission for Employment and Skills. Prior to this, Cay has been Director of the National Employment Panel and Managing Director of Business in the Community. In 1993-94, she served as Special Advisor to the Clinton Administration, working on the comprehensive legislative reform of U.S. employment and training policy. Between 1988 and 1993, Cay was Special Advisor to the UK Department of Employment and from 1983-1988, she was Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs and headed the Massachusetts Department of Employment and Training. Prior to this, she served as Executive Director of the Boston Private Industry Council and has also held posts with Boston's anti-poverty agency, New York City's Human Resource Development Agency and the National Alliance of Business.
Skills Development Scotland is a company limited by guarantee, registered as The Skills Development Scotland Co. Limited. Its HQ is in Atlantic Quay, Glasgow, alongside Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government.
Willy Roe took up a four year appointment as Chairman of Skills Development Scotland on April 1, 2008. He is also Scotland Commissioner, on the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.