'First Steps to Leadership' Graduation Ceremony 22nd July 2008

Liverpool Town Hall saw a glittering evening of celebration and entertainment as recent graduates from the CEL-funded ‘First Steps to Leadership’ met to receive their course certificates and receive the congratulations of the Network for their successes. Many course participants were joined  by their Principals or line managers as well as family and friends.  Many providers supported their staff to participate on the programme, including City College Manchester, Middlesbrough College, the Chara Trust, Park Lane & Keighley College, Blackburne House, Stockport College of Further & Higher Education, Skills Solutions and others. We would like to thank the Principals for supporting their staff in accessing development opportunities with the NBP/BLI, and particularly those Principals who attended including Monica Box, Maxine Room, and Sujinder Sangha.

Graduates were joined on the evening by Roger McClure, Chief Executive of the newly-formed Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) who extended his congratulations to those who had completed the programme. The Network are very grateful to Roger for taking the time to attend this celebration event and acknowledging the commitment and contribution of the NBP/BLI and BME staff in the sector ...  

"The Government's new policy of self-regulation and self-improvement for the FE sector in England offers a fantastic opportunity for the rebirth or re-emergence of professionalism amongst staff at all levels in colleges and other providers. There is a welcome recognition that public services such as education are so complex that the best results, for the full spectrum of learners, will most likely be achieved by both expecting and trusting well qualified and committed professionals to do their jobs - whether lecturers, support staff, or senior managers - to a consistent high standard.

It is particularly welcome, therefore, that the First Steps to Leadership programme developed by the Black Leadership Initiative and the Network for Black Professionals for BME staff already has professionalism at its heart with an emphasis on aspiring leaders being prepared to take ownership of what they do and wishing to take pride in what they achieve and the level of quality to which they operate. The Government's new policy is a two-way street: self-regulation and self-improvement are being offered to the sector; it is now for the sector and specifically staff working in the sector to step up to the mark and show that they can be trusted with England's further education. I am confident that programmes such as First Steps have a key role in ensuring that all staff in the sector, including BME staff, play their part in meeting this challenge."

Pictures of the event can be viewed in our photo gallery.