Further Education Policy, Further Education and Skills Investment, Directorate Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Nick holds a BA, MSc and PhD in psychology from the universities of Cambridge, Loughborough and Sheffield.
Nick joined the UK Civil Service in 1993 and has held a wide range of posts:
• Designing computer systems for the unemployed;
• Leading on policy in areas from childcare to youth, regional Government and financial and programme management;
• While on secondment as Acting Director to Sheffield’s local strategic partnership developing the 5 year City Strategy for the city;
In 2007 he took on responsibility for engaging the Further Education sector in a wide range of Government objectives including forming international partnerships, enterprise and business start up support, training in low carbon skills and reducing carbon emissions, the promotion of community cohesion, encouraging healthy lifestyles and helping people affected by the economic downturn.
A key strand of this work has been the international dimensions of FE and Nick worked with partners across the sector to develop the first FE International Strategy – Globalisation: Meeting the Challenge. More recently, he worked with colleagues in UKBA on the review of Tier 4 of the Points Based System and is currently investigating how more opportunities can be created for FE/VET organisations in the UK to benefit from international partnerships and contracts.