Find a Future, the educational organisation which brings together WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions, The Skills Show and The Skills Show Experience, has announced the appointment today (18 September 2015) of Dr Neil Bentley as its new Chief Executive. Dr Bentley will take up his post this autumn.
Currently the CEO of OUTstanding, a start-up not-for-profit membership network for LGBT leaders and their allies, Dr Bentley previously spent 12 years working at the CBI. During his time there, he held a number of Director posts, rising to become Deputy Director-General in 2011. Neil is a current lay member of the Council of the University of Warwick and a member of the Science Council’s strategy group on diversity and STEM skills. He was previously a member of the board of BusinessEurope, supporting the organisation’s business objectives across Europe.
“We are delighted to welcome Neil to the business at such an exciting time in Find a Future’s development,” says Carole Stott, Chair. “Neil is an experienced leader, who has worked at the highest levels of business and government across the UK. He is passionate about education, and his skills, energy and enthusiasm will help the team to drive the organisation on to further success, helping more young people to build successful careers and making a positive contribution to the UK’s productivity challenges. The Board and I are certain that Neil’s experience and energy will enable him to lead the organisation effectively, so that The Skills Show, WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions and The Skills Show Experience play their vital role in raising standards and helping people to understand the opportunities and success that come from high quality apprenticeships and technical training and education. We are very much looking forward to working with him.”
“Since its formation, Find a Future has reshaped the careers advice and guidance landscape with its experiential model,” says Dr Bentley, “and has built a reputation for excellence and quality. I am looking forward to building on the great foundations already established to help inspire more young people right across the UK to get off to the best possible start in work and life. Boosting the involvement of business and government in the organisation’s work is key to helping raise the bar on skills and improve the UK’s long-term competitiveness. I am certain that, with the enthusiastic team already in place, Find a Future will go from strength to strength.”
Find a Future was established in 2014, to bring together the nation’s leading experiential careers education events and skills competitions and is funded by a combination of government finance and commercial revenues. For more information about the organisation and its work, please visit www.findafuture.org.uk.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
Find a Future is the organisation that brings together WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions, The Skills Show and The Skills Show Experience, providing every young person the chance to unlock their potential and get excited about the world of work. Through hands-on experiential activities and skills competitions we help shape their futures and transform their lives.
Building on the success of its three products, its mission is to build a reputation for outstanding experiential careers events and skills competitions that are proven to inspire, educate and influence. The organisation’s ambition is for more young people to know what they are great at and the opportunities available to them, so the UK remains a leader in skills. This will give employers direct access to the diversity of talent they need, to enable their businesses to flourish and our nation to prosper.
