Meet the Team

Dawn Leak

Business Development and Training Manager

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2660)
Email: dleak@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

With a wealth of experience in business development, training and further education, Dawn has now worked at Kirklees College for two years. Working in a range of colleges and private training providers for almost 15 years, Dawn now manages the contracts and delivery for approximately £11 million of college revenue.

Mark Connolly

Contracts Team Leader (Apprenticeships)

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2670)
Email: mconnolly@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Mark has worked in youth training at the college since 1991. He now manages the college's apprenticeship contract, working closely with curriculum areas, to maximise success rates and develop contracts by exploring new areas of provision, a recent example being adult apprenticeships.

Contact Mark and his team if you are interested in finding out more about apprenticeships. Whether you are a training provider, parent or carer, employer or young person, Mark and his team can help.

Lynda Lees

Business Support Officer (Apprenticeships)

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2669)
Email: llees@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

With more than a decade of experience, Lynda knows apprenticeships like the back of her hand. In her current role, Lynda is involved with all elements of apprenticeships, from induction and additional support, to ensuring funding files are correct and compliant.

Contact Lynda with enquiries relating to apprenticeship and for further information.

Kate Stafford

Business Support Officer (Apprenticeships)

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2676)
Email: kstafford@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Kate is a new addition to the Kirklees College team. Her previous roles include working as a careers advisor for North Yorkshire Council and as a vocational qualification assessor in France. Kate is part of the apprenticeship team, her role includes monitoring apprentices and liaising with curriculum areas to ensure training is at the right level.

Contact Kate if you are a learner or an employer with enquiries about current and potential apprenticeships.

Jason Taylor

Team Leader for the Employer Gateway

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2666)
Email: jtaylor02@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Following a career as a sales manager in the motor industry and with the Yorkshire Post, Jason has been at Kirklees College for just over a year. Jason liaises with local businesses and potential clients across the district to demonstrate the value of working with Kirklees College.

Contact Jason if your organisation is looking to up-skill its workforce, develop a training programme, talk about partnerships, or your interested in working with Kirklees College.

Cash Cuff

Business Support Officer (Key Accounts)

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2663)
Email: ccuff@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Cash has extensive experience working in youth and adult training. During her time at Kirklees College, Cash has been involved in a variety of areas, including apprenticeships and employment training. In her current role, Cash supports employers to up-skill their workforce.

Contact Cash if you are an employer working in health and social care, childcare, hospitality or skills for life.

Helen Mahoney

Business Support Officer (Key Accounts)

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2665)
Email: hmahoney@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Previously working at Business Link and Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, Helen has built a strong career in business development. Helen's current role involves engaging with local employers to update them on the provision available at Kirklees College.

Contact Helen if you are an employer working in engineering, construction or motor vehicle, if you'd like to work with Kirklees College, and to talk about funding opportunities.

Steve March

Business Support Officer (Key Accounts)

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2674)
Email: smarch@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Following a varied career in commercial recruitment, facilities management, construction and professional services, Steve has worked at Kirklees College for more than two years. In his current role, Steve works with businesses to help them and their workforce identify training needs and development opportunities for employees and their business.

Contact Steve if you are an employer working in management, IT, administration or customer service, and for information about training and apprenticeships.

Naomi Metcalfe

Contracts Team Leader (Engage and Foundation Learning)

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 7520)
Email: nmetcalfe@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Before joining Kirklees College in June 2010, Naomi worked for Yorkshire Forward and Calderdale College. Naomi manages the network of providers working on Engage, a programme funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) to improve the life chances of disadvantaged students in Calderdale and Kirklees. She also manages the partnership for foundation learning in the Kirklees area.

Contact Naomi for information about partnership working, if you're a provider interested in the Engage programme or to find out about how the partnership works and what it does.

Amy Hayre

Business Support Officer (Contracts Compliance)

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2664)
Email: ahayre@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Amy has worked in training for the past six years, including her four years at Kirklees College. In her current role, Amy supports the external network of providers, monitoring the college's contracts with them, delivery and performance.

Contact Amy for further information about the training providers Kirklees College works with.

Lynne Nichols

Business Support Officer (Contracts Compliance)

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2667)
Email: lnichols@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Lynne is a new edition to the employer team, and to Kirklees College. Lynne's role involves auditing paperwork around funding for external auditors and supporting assessors with administration and enquiries.

Contact Lynne if you're a member of curriculum staff or an assessor with an enquiry about the auditing process or funding.

Emma Rawden

Business Support Officer (Contracts Compliance)

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2678)
Email: erawden@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Following time at Leeds Metropolitan University and Leeds College of Technology, Emma joined Kirklees College in March 2011. Emma works on the Venture programme, monitoring and supporting the participating providers, auditing to check all paperwork is compliant.

Contact Emma for further information about current providers or with contract, administration or funding enquiries.

Stella Owen

Curriculum Delivery Team Leader

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2672)
Email: sowen@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

A former teacher, Stella has worked in further education for more than seven years. Stella now manages Train to Gain, both sub-contracts and internally, auditing, worklessness contracts, Jobcentre Plus, skills bank assessors and delivery staff, and the Kirklees Council Future Jobs Fund.

Contact Stella to discuss sub-contracting opportunities and your organisation's eligibility for employer response programmes.

Bernadette Baptiste

Customer Service Team Leader

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2662)
Email: bbaptiste@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

In her 13 years within the private sector, Bernadette worked in a variety of areas, including marketing, administration, and call centre work. In her role at Kirklees College, Bernadette's team is now the first point of contact for employer enquiries; and they take a lead role in the day-to-day running of the Batley Business Development and Training Centre.

Contact Bernadette with general enquiries around business development and training, to book a room at the Batley Centre or to find out more about the team.

Steph Lofthouse

Administrative Assistant

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2673)
Email: slofthouse@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Steph started her career at Kirklees College as a business and administration apprenticeship. Two years on, Steph is now working in the customer service team.

Contact Steph with general enquiries about the provision offered by the business development and training team and current contracts.

Jo Dyson-Bell

Administrative Assistant

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2667)
Email: jdysnbll@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Jo has worked in the education sector for more than 10 years. In her current role at Kirklees College, Jo is based in the reception area and deals with visitors and telephone enquiries.

Contact Jo with general enquiries about the provision offered by the business development and training team and current contracts.

Kezia Chapman

Business and Administration Apprentice, Customer Service team

Tel: +44 (0)1924 474401 (ext. 2668)
Email: kchapman@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Kezia is an integral member of the business development and training team. As an apprentice, Kezia spends one day a week studying at the college's Huddersfield Centre and fours days a week working at the Batley Centre.

Handling customer service enquiries, Kezia is putting into practice the theory she learns on her college course, in a real life work environment. With a background in administration, Kezia is taking her experience further with her qualification.

Contact Kezia with general enquiries about the provision offered by the business development and training team and current contracts.

Fiona Murie

Business skills trainer

Tel: +44 (0)1924 436204 (ext. 2679)
Email: fmurie@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Fiona has been working at Kirklees College since August 2011 following extensive experience as a management consultant specialising in organisational development. Fiona managed her own consultancy for the last six years.

At Kirklees College, Fiona works with employers throughout the region to design and deliver strategic leadership and management development programmes. Fiona also works with staff internally delivering internal leadership and management programmes.

Lisa Thomasson

Business and administration apprentice

Tel: +44 (0)1924 436204 (ext. 2675)
Email: lthomasson@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Lisa has previously worked in customer service and retail, and brings a very customer focussed approach to the front of house team. Lisa loves the challenge of being on the front line and is always looking for new ways to make visiting the Batley Centre a customer friendly experience.

Karen Horsfall-Smith

Business support officer

Email: kjhsmith@kirkleescollege.ac.uk

Karen came to the Business and Training Unit from Rathbone Training in Dewsbury where she worked as centre manager. Karen's current role involves supporting the unit's training providers, advising and guiding, and learner processing. With a wide range of expertise and a wealth of knowledge in training, administration and office management, Karen is an integral member of the team.