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Meet our Board of Governors
Our Board of Governors for the Manchester Digital Apprenticeship are a diverse range of professionals in their respective fields.
Their role is to guide, support and challenge us to ensure the Manchester Digital Apprenticeship provision is excellent. This is driven by our mission, vision and values.
Katie Gallagher OBE
Chair of Governors and Governor for HR and Business Growth
Katie currently runs two successful not-for-profit organisations, Manchester Digital and the North West Cyber Resilience Centre, both of which play a key role in the development of the region's tech and cyber ecosystem. She is also the chair of the UK Tech Cluster Group, which brings together the UK’s regional tech organisations to work together to share knowledge, connections and best practice.
Katie also sits on the Government’s Digital Skills Council to drive forward policy around supporting the UK’s tech ecosystem, developing start-ups, as well as creating the right levels of talent and skills.
Katie also sits on the Digital Growth Grant Independent Advisory Board for Barclays Eagle Labs.
She is an experienced founder and strategist with an entrepreneurial mindset and a deep understanding of tech ecosystems. Katie has more than 15 years’ experience of delivering innovative services, support and guidance to start-ups, scale-ups and corporates as well as managing and creating successful public/private sector partnerships.
Allan Milne
Governor for Quality and Compliance
Allan has over 20 years experience in the apprenticeship and work based learning sector. He has been part of the Salford City College Group Senior Leadership Team since 2019, as Director of Apprenticeships and Employer Engagement.
Sarah Brooks-Pearce
Governor for Industry Voice, Learner Voice - Inclusion, Diversity, Safeguarding
Sarah started her career as an Apprentice, and in her role as Head of Early Careers overseeing Auto Trader Apprentices and early programmes for many years has continued to be an advocate and champion for Apprenticeships as an accessible career route into tech.
Sarah is a qualified coach and mentor and is passionately active in advancing diversity and inclusion in the tech workforce. She proudly shares and celebrates her neuro differences (Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and ADHD) to help remove the stigma and bring about more visibility and conversation to enable people to be at their best. Sarah also co-leads the Social Mobility Network at Auto Trader and was part of the Digital Apprenticeship Quality Board.
Beej Kaczmarczyk
Governor for Finances and Resources
Beej is well-known in the education sector and has an excellent reputation for his skills as a consultant and trainer, and as an expert in education policy, management, teaching and learning, funding and finance. He has held senior management roles in schools, FE colleges and in the private sector with Network Training, Tribal Education, EDI, Pearson Education and Learning Curve.
Director of the Learning Curve Group and Chair of the Chesterfield College Group to name but a few other positions held.
Our mission vision and values
Mission
To provide a range of high quality digital career pathways that are aligned to local and national skills demands, enabling positive outcomes for both the apprentice and the employer through clear communication, positive relationships and innovative learning experiences.
Vision
Values
If you are interested in joining our governance board, help inform our curriculum or wish to work with us as your apprenticeship provider, please get in touch apprenticeships@poscoop.com.