Experienced leader takes over the reins at Learning and Skills Improvement Service

LSIS is pleased to announce that Rob Wye, currently director of strategy and implementation at the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA), has been appointed as its new chief executive. Rob replaces Dr David Collins CBE who will be retiring in the new year.

The selection comes after a rigorous appointments process led by Dame Ruth Silver DBE, the chair of LSIS, who says: “We are delighted that Rob Wye has accepted this post at what will be, by all measures, a challenging time for the further education and skills sector.

“Rob has an abundance of experience and is well known to and respected by the sector. We can be supremely confident that Rob has what it takes to lead LSIS into the next phase of its development.

“LSIS has now been firmly established as a sector-owned organisation with its council, elected by the sector, increasingly shaping the services and support it needs and David has done a fantastic job in making LSIS the responsive body it is today. It offers value for money and has shown itself to be adaptable and forward-thinking.” 

Among the many advances made under Dr Collins’s leadership has been the focus on building the sector’s own capacity to self-improve by commissioning innovative solutions led and delivered by the sector itself. This has given the sector much more say and influence over the kinds of support needed in these rapidly changing times.

Dr Collins says: “I have greatly enjoyed my time at LSIS and I have gained a huge amount on a personal and professional level. The staff have been tremendous especially in embracing the changes needed to offer new improvement solutions and strategies. In Rob Wye, LSIS has found someone who knows the sector well and also understands the bigger picture. I am delighted that LSIS and the sector’s quality improvement strategy will be in excellent hands.”

On his forthcoming role, Rob Wye says: “Becoming chief executive of LSIS represents a great opportunity to make a difference for the whole FE sector and I am greatly looking forward to the challenge and to working with all the highly successful team.

“With David Collins I know I have a hard act to follow. I am well aware how much the sector has to offer to improve the lives of individuals, the success of communities and the bottom line for employers.  LSIS will be at the heart of those improvements. I will greatly miss everyone in the YPLA yet I know I leave it in excellent and capable hands, with people who have a real passion for learning and how it can change lives.”

Rob will take up his post on 1 January 2011.

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Notes to editors:
For all media enquiries contact: Gillian Dyer, head of communications on 024 7662 7964, 07920 710 672 or gillian.dyer@lsis.org.uk 

Please find photograph of Rob Wye attached (Jpeg, 227 KB) 

Rob Wye

Rob has more than twenty years experience in education and training policy. After graduating from Cambridge in 1976, Rob joined the Employment Department where he worked in a number of areas including pay policy, health and safety, disability policy and in Private Office.

In 1981 he joined the Manpower Services Commission focusing on training and vocational education issues including Training Access Points, Learning Technologies, Open Learning, GNVQs, education-business links, Modern Apprenticeships and New Start. In 1997 Rob moved to the Department for Education and Employment’s Finance Directorate in London.

He was the executive director of the newly-formed Northamptonshire LSC from November 2000.  Between February and July 2002 he was on secondment as the LSC’s national director of policy and development, where he played a key role in working with the DfES, particularly on developing the Success for All strategy and the subsequent consultation.  After positions as LSC national director of strategy and communication, and national director of young people’s learning and skills, he is currently director of strategy and implementation at Young People’s Learning Agency.

About LSIS

LSIS is the sector owned body supporting the development of excellent and sustainable provision across the learning and skills sector.  Its aim is to accelerate the drive for excellence and, working in partnership with all parts of the sector, build on the sector’s own capacity to design, commission and deliver improvement and strategic change.

For a full list of what we offer visit www.lsis.org.uk where you will also find details of LSIS programmes and a link to the Excellence Gateway - the leading online service for everyone who works in the post-16 learning and skills sector in England. It offers resources, support and advice, and opportunities to participate and share good practice.