Bringing practitioner voices to the heart of ETF's work

The ETF's Practitioner Advisory Group (PAG) is made up of practitioners from across the Further Education and skills sector.

PAG ensures that the views and experiences of teachers, trainers, assessors, managers and other sector professionals directly influence ETF's work . This helps ensure that professional development reflects real sector needs, practitioner voices are heard, and good practice, innovation and inclusion are promoted across the sector.

 

What does the PAG do?

MEET THREE TIMES A YEAR, A MIXTURE OF ONLINE AND IN-PERSON icon

Meet three times a year – mixture of online and in-person

SHARES INSIGHT FROM THE FE AND SKILLS SECTOR icon

Shares insight from the FURTHER EDUCATION and Skills sector

PROVIDES FEEDBACK ON ETF PROGRAMMES, SERVICES AND PRIORITIES icon

Provides feedback on ETF programmes, services and priorities

ACTS AS A CHANNEL BETWEEN PRACTITIONERS AND ETF LEADERSHIP icon

Acts as a channel between practitioners and ETF leadership

HELPS SHAPE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, CPD OPPORTUNITIES AND MEMBERSHIP ACTIVITY icon

Helps shape professional standards, CPD opportunities and membership activity

CHAMPIONS PRACTITIONER VOICES TO ENSURE ETF'S WORK REFLECTS SECTOR NEEDS icon

Champions practitioner voices to ensure ETF's work reflects sector needs

 

Meet the PAG Chair and Deputy Chair

PAG Chair

Helen Wood, FSET ATS QTLS

Helen Wood is Head of Staff Professional Development at The Loddon School.

She has more than 25 years' experience in work-based teaching and learning in the Third Sector as a Manager, Teacher, Assessor and Internal Quality Assurer. 

Helen has been a member of the Practitioner Advisory Group since 2020 and particularly enjoys working with like-minded colleagues to ensure that member voices are heard and reflected in ETF's membership offer.

PAG Deputy Chair

Jen Deakin, FSET QTLS

Jen Deakin is an Advanced Practitioner and Course Leader of A Level and Vocational Graphic Design at Runshaw College.

She is a passionate advocate for research in the FE sector, and also serves as a board member of the ARPCE.

In 2024, Jen was awarded a Technical Teaching Fellowship, with research focusing on how AI can help reduce teacher workload and enhance teaching and learning.

Through her role on PAG, she is committed to championing practitioner perspectives and supporting innovation across the sector.

bENEFITS OF being part of pag

Being part of PAG is a great way to expand your professional network and to learn from others from a range of FE and skills settings. Taking part will help you grow in your role and will also enable you to share your own experiences.

You will be at the forefront of the latest internal developments and will have an opportunity to help shape the ETF offer to support the needs of the FE and skills workforce. In addition, PAG members will be amongst the first to be offered the chance to take part in relevant research and insight activity, keeping them abreast of the latest developments and changes within the FE and skills sector.

Being a member of PAG will enable you to share experiences, learn from fellow professionals within the sector and shape the future of ETF.

'Being a PAG member allows us to have a voice in FE and it covers a whole range of voices – whether that be teachers, trainers, leadership, managers – and I think that's really important to develop the sector, to sell the sector and for us to have that love of lifelong learning.'

Penny Taylor

'Being a PAG member gives me the opportunity as an Independent Training Provider to express my views and also to hear about what is going on in my sector.'

Dennis Hylton

'Being a PAG member to me is about amplifying the voices of thousands of people that make a difference to the Further Education and skills sector everyday.'

Stacy Vipas

'Being a PAG member has given me a sense of purpsoe within the teaching industry. It has also allowed me to collaborate and network with a group of people with a vast amount of knowledge, and in the long term, I hope this can have a positive impact on the community.'

Jason Roberts

Why join PAG?

PAG members are appointed for an initial three-year term; it’s a voluntary role but reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed.

In between meetings, PAG members may be asked to contribute to workshops, steering groups and impact studies and research. Whilst there is an expectation that PAG members will attend as many meetings per year as possible, there is no expectation to take part in any additional activities. The choice is yours, but PAG members are given the first opportunity to support our work, where we need practitioner input.

Recruitment to join the PAG opens in September and we welcome applications from all current ETF Members. More information will be available soon.