Ian has over 15 years of experience in the Education Sector and is passionate about helping people to develop and reach their full potential by providing routes into employment and learning.

SW Training was established in 2006 and Ian’s role as director has allowed him to focus on the Business Development side of the company for both SportWise and SkillWise.

Ian is an advocate of the Apprenticeship scheme having completed a football apprenticeship when leaving school whilst he pursued his career in football.

Ian is a keen golfer and a huge football fan supporting Aston Villa and enjoys taking his young boy to football training at the weekend.

Lee has over 25 years of experience in the Education and Training, Sport and Business sectors where he has held a range of senior management posts successfully leading both operational and strategic development and growth.

Lee set up his own company ‘Your Future Solutions’ in 2009 where he specialises in delivering Leadership and Management Masterclasses and courses. He also mentors and coaches individuals and businesses to develop and grow in order to fulfil their maximum potential.

Lee joined SkillWise in 2016 as a Director and is responsible for Quality and Compliance across the business.

Lee loves playing sports, especially golf, cycling and football and is a QPR fan.

James is our Apprenticeship & Quality Manager and joined Skillwise in March 2023. Before that, he worked in managerial roles in different training providers, with experience delivering qualifications in Management, Business Administration and Customer Service amongst others. James has experience working with a variety of business types and sizes, delivering high-quality learning experiences based on his own recent and past managerial background. Starting his career in retail, James has in total over 15 years of managerial experience leading teams of all types and sizes. Working with the Tutor team, James ensures that all learners receive the support and guidance that they need to successfully complete their Apprenticeships.

Kate’s role is to ensure that the delivery team are supported and has everything they need to deliver high-quality effective programmes. Kate processes all paperwork required for our funded programmes, set exams and claims certification. Kate has had a passion for dance since she was 7 and worked as a professional dancer in hotels and on cruise ships. She has worked in Greece, Malta, the United States and the Bahamas.

Lucy has over 10 years of Event Management and Sponsorship experience, she worked as the Swimming Manager at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and delivered a variety of European and World Championships Sporting events.

Lucy joined the company in 2016 and supports the team with various administrative duties across the business.

Lucy is a keen tennis player representing Leicestershire and competing in national tournaments, Lucy also loves taking on new sporting challenges and spending time with her two young boys. Her claim to fame is appearing on the TV show “The Weakest Link.”

Jill has over 18 years of experience in Sales, Events and PR which has enabled her to live abroad in New York and worldwide.

Jill joined the team in 2016 and is responsible for recruiting all learners and apprentices across all our programmes placing them into businesses.

Jill is passionate about helping people and will go the extra mile to help find the right role for our learners.

A keen netball player, she competes in the Birmingham, Dudley and Walsall leagues and enjoys spending time with her family, in particular her young boy.

Sharon has a wealth of experience lecturing in Administration and IT and roles involving co-ordinating apprenticeships.

Sharon is currently responsible for supporting the team of assessors, monitoring learner progress and carrying out IQA for Business Admin, Customer Service, Marketing, Team Leading and Leadership and Management.

Sharon enjoys travel and socialising with friends and family and is a registered puppy walker for both Guide Dogs and the West Midlands Police.

Sarah has been involved in the management of adult education for over 15 years, she has experience in both delivering and managing apprenticeship programmes for private training providers and a further education college, so she brings experience from a variety of sectors.

Sarah has also been involved in monitoring the quality of assessment, teaching and learning and has developed her staff members to reach their full potential through planned CPD activities.(continuous professional development).

Her passion is to see people achieve their career aspirations, enabling them to have more choices in life.

Based in Hertfordshire she has two children and enjoys traveling the world and sharing experiences with them. Sarah also enjoys attending fitness classes with friends.

Sean brings over 20 years of operational leadership experience to Skillwise. Initially working in the retail sector both in the UK and South Africa, more recently he has worked as a freelance consultant and tutor for postgraduate management programmes focused on leadership and operations management.

Sean holds an MBA and is currently working on his own apprenticeship.

Outside of work, he is a keen reader, hiker, DIY-er, Liverpool supporter and traveller. Sean lives in Lincolnshire with his partner and they have an adventurous cat who is an occasional surprise feature of team calls with him.

Anne has been an independent management and leadership trainer and business consultant for over 20 years following a corporate career in sales, quality management, process improvement and change management.

She is enthusiastic about problem-solving and sharing ideas and insights that help people to achieve their goals.

Based in the West Midlands, she has two grown-up children and enjoys a variety of interests from music to current affairs, philosophy to fashion. Pets include an adorable cat, Jackson, (who challenged her belief that she did not like cats!)

Jennie is an experienced teacher, coach and facilitator who has worked with adults and young people for more than 15 years. She has delivered qualifications in a variety of settings and has also been an independent educational consultant working with teachers and Senior Leadership Teams across the country.

Most recently Jennie has been working as a Coach on Leadership and Management Apprenticeships and Mentoring and Coaching qualifications, which is something she is particularly passionate about.

She has previously worked as a Journalist, is a published author and has been a business owner, so her experience has many facets and she draws from this in her tutoring and coaching sessions.

Based in North Yorkshire, when Jennie isn’t working with individuals online and face to face she can be found walking Hetty her lurcher, reading, gardening or visiting the theatre, cinema or Anfield to watch the Reds with her children.

Richard has been working in training and education for the last 10 years, delivering qualifications in a variety of settings. His last role was focused on End Point Assessment and supporting the coaches and learners to successfully complete their qualifications.

He has worked in retail management as an operations manager in several blue-chip companies and was in the Royal Navy Submarine Service for 10 years.

Richard enjoys his job because he gets a great sense of achievement when a learner gets it, and understands it.

Richard enjoys walking his 2 Spaniels, travelling, music, and relaxing in his back garden bar and cinema.

Kirsty has over 10 years of experience in further education and vocational training and a strong background in delivering leadership and management qualifications across a variety of learning environments. She has worked within the Senior Leadership Team to successfully meet key performance targets, and as a vocational tutor, has developed programs and curriculum planning.

Most recently, Kirsty has worked within a private organisation, using strategic approaches to support learner's EHCP targets. "I focus on creating engaging, adaptable lessons that empower learners with practical, real-world skills."

Outside of work, Kirsty enjoys the arts, theatre, and quality time with family and friends.  

Lauren has over 8 years of experience teaching in educational settings, tailoring teaching and learning to a wide variety of ages and abilities.

Lauren is dedicated to supporting learners with their understanding and embedding of essential skills, incorporating real-life applications and interactive techniques, making learning both relevant and relatable.

Laurens's role is to foster a supportive environment where learners are empowered to achieve their qualifications and develop skills that will benefit them in their everyday lives and throughout their careers.

I have worked in schools for 17 years with 10 of those being the Principal of a large Secondary Academy in North West Birmingham. I volunteer as a Governor as I want to help support organisations that encourage learning and use my own expertise to help shape the curriculum and drive educational standards, in particular. I have a keen interest in Sport and PE linked to my own background as a Sports Coach and PE Teacher. I'm also an avid Aston Villa fan!

I value being part of this organisation and enjoy helping to support the excellent opportunities that are being made available to learners and employers.

As a Chief Operating Officer with experience in both the public and private sectors, I bring a unique perspective to business management. With a background in highly regulated industries such as banking, I understand the importance of compliance and risk management. My extensive expertise in oversight of finance, HR, estate capital projects, governance, risk management, and IT has equipped me with the skills and knowledge necessary to drive operational excellence and achieve strategic goals.

I pride myself on building strong relationships and leading with empathy and compassion. I believe that effective leadership is about more than just achieving targets and meeting deadlines; it's about creating a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. By fostering a sense of ownership and accountability among team members, I have been able to drive success across a range of diverse projects and initiatives.

I am committed to using and sharing my skills and experience and empowering others to create value for the organisation and its stakeholders. I lead with integrity, empathy, and a deep commitment to operational excellence.

I’ve worked as a PE teacher in secondary education since 2010. I have taken on a number of roles since qualifying and I am now Deputy Head Teacher responsible for all things pastoral in an inner city school in Birmingham.