Industry Leadership
As an employer-led organisation, Proskills works very closely with the Furniture Industry. This is achieved via a number of routes including the Furniture Industry Board and the Qualifications Reform Group for the industry.
The Furniture Industry Board helps set the strategic direction for Proskills. Made up of employers in the main and supported by representatives from employer bodies, trade unions as well as training providers, it is their task is to ensure that the objectives and solutions developed by Proskills the Sector Skills Council and the National Skills Academy for Materials, Production & Supply, the new directional delivery arm of Proskills, remain aligned to the needs of this industry.
The Qualifications Reform Group is tasked with the development and review of new and existing standards and qualifications to meet the increasing demands of the industry.
Both groups play a key role in ensuring the right provision is in place to support investment in skills.
Without the support of employers and other stakeholders these groups cannot fulfil their remit. It is therefore critical to their success that more people from this industry get involved. To date we have a membership of over 15 employers on the Boards that come from a range of different sized businesses. In real terms, they only represent a small fraction of the industry that comprises around 12,000 businesses employing around 147,000 individuals. To ensure a more complete coverage and ever more influential input, we need more employers to come forward and work with us.
Proskills Industry Lead:
To coordinate employer involvement and strategic engagement, each Industry has its own Industry Lead within Proskills. For the Furniture industry this is Paul Preston. If you would like to get involved in shaping the future of your industry, contact Paul Preston on 07585 993229 or email paul.preston@proskills.co.uk
Current Board Membership includes:
| Names | Organisations |
| Bass, Judy | Leather Training & Technical |
| Bishton, Bob | Regal Furniture |
| Bowtell, Tom | Proskills UK |
| Chapman, Bertram | Albert E Chapman & Son Ltd |
| Clarke, Sally | Sally Clarke Furniture |
| Davies, Phil | GMB |
| Doleman, Paul | Havelock Europa plc |
| Halstead, Judy | GGI Office Furniture UK Ltd |
| Hyde, Chris | Oxford and Cherwell College (Ryecotewood Centre) |
| Mascari, Renee | Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom National Training Group |
| Mitchell, Carolyn | Walker Greenbank PLC |
| Preston, Paul | Proskills UK |
| Shorter, Wendy | Wendy Shorter Interiors |
| Sisson, Peter | Webs Training Ltd |
| Snell, Richard | Birmingham City University |
| Stevenson, Neil | NEJ Stevenson |
| Watson, Colin | British Contract Furniture Association |
| Watts, Terry | Proskills UK |
| Woolley, John | Hypnos Ltd |
Current Focus of the Board:
- Establish strategic issues facing the industry relating to productivity, skills, qualifications and training provision
- Identify priority delivery areas and make recommendations to the Proskills Main Board and the Academy Board
- Review and monitor current strategy and activity taking place within the industry and provide input to both the Sector Skills Council and the Academy to inform future activity and developments
- Establish programs to promote careers in the industry and foster links between schools, employers and FE establishments
- Act as Proskills ambassadors for your industry to encourage more employers to commit to training
In addition the Scottish FIB is looking to develop a brand for Scottish furniture in conjunction with Napier University.