Paul Warner, Webinar Chair

Director of Research and Development, AELP

Having been a specialist recruitment consultant to the defence industry for six
years, Paul started in the post-16 sector in 1993 on Training for Work contracts for TBG Learning. He subsequently took on a variety of related operational and senior management roles, culminating in a successful tenure as Director of Business Development. On leaving TBG in 2002 he worked as a consultant for a time, including a spell managing WBL delivery at Barking College in East London, before joining AELP in September 2003 particularly concentrating on the alignment of the skills and employability agendas.

In his current role he is responsible for all research and development activities, and holds lead policy briefs in a number of areas including technical education reforms, SEND/LLDD, and international strategy. Paul holds a First Class Honours degree in International Relations from the University of Keele, an MA in Post-Compulsory Education and Training from the University of Sheffield, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Married with one daughter, hailing from the New Forest but living in Essex, he enjoys rock music and amateur dramatics, and is training for his black belt in karate.

Dr Chris Jones, Webinar Facilitator  

Specialist Adviser for Apprenticeships, Ofsted

Chris joined Ofsted as one of Her Majesty’s inspector in 2013. He is a qualified teacher, has a master’s degree in education leadership and special education, and a doctorate specialising in continuing professional development and the pedagogy of ICT. Previously he taught in schools, colleges, work-based learning providers and in initial teacher education for a total of 20 years. He worked with DfE for 11 years on school improvement, 14-19 diploma, functional skills, raising the participation age, qualification reviews, and one-to-one tuition and pupil premium. He has led or contributed to Ofsted surveys in areas as diverse as family learning in children’s centres and securing the future for young people not in education, employment or training.