The ETF and the IoD announce leadership and governance development programmes for college boards

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF), the government-supported workforce development body for the Further Education (FE) and training sector, is working in partnership with the Institute of Directors (IoD) to help equip key members of college governing bodies with the skills they need to drive success in their organisations.  The programmes are sponsored and part-funded by the Department for Education and will support governance improvements in the FE sector.

In partnership with the ETF and DfE, the IoD will be working with college chairs and governance professionals across England to deliver an enriching development experience.  This approach will not only develop the knowledge, skills and mindset of participants but also have a positive and lasting impact on the effectiveness of college corporation boards and the sector overall.

For 2022, the IoD and the ETF are enhancing their offer with an additional programme aimed at aspiring college chairs, and a qualification for governance professionals.

The Chairs’ Leadership Programme provides a unique opportunity for college chairs and aspiring chairs to reflect on their role, develop their performance, and ultimately enhance the value they add to the board and their wider organisation. This will support the government’s strategy of developing a highly trained cadre of board members of FE and sixth form colleges, thereby enhancing performance, and strengthening governance within the sector.

The Governance Professionals’ Leadership Programme is designed for clerks to boards, company secretaries and those fulfilling similar roles.  The governance professional has a critical role to play in meeting the administrative and procedural requirements of the board, as well as being the trusted adviser – enabling efficient, effective discussion and decision-making. This year’s programme will also include a qualification.

The Chairs of the Future Programme is a new leadership development course aimed at supporting established governors with the objective of becoming a chair in the FE sector to identify the skills and competencies they have and the ones they need to develop to lead a board.