We are pleased to be working with Cognasisst to deliver our forthcoming PIF CPD quality assurance workshops on supporting learners with learning difficulties and disabilities. The Cognassist team delivering the workshops are experienced specialists in their field. Read their profiles below.
David Lockhart-Hawkins
David has worked within the education sector, specialising in post-16 policy, financial assurance and strategic implementation for over 20 years.
Representing several of the leading stakeholders in the sector as a consultant, he has played a significant role in assisting the growth and prosperity of clients through designing and delivering effective and efficient evidence systems, monitoring programmes and insightful strategic development services, including ESFA audit preparation, Apprenticeship programme design, quality improvement and new provider support.
His company’s broad client portfolio includes some of England’s best-known and high-performing Universities, Colleges, Independent Providers and Employer Providers, designing, amongst other systems, those for supporting learning support funding claims. David’s workshop and webinar work include a national multi-part series for thousands of individuals on topics including Learning Support in apprenticeships, fundamentals of compliance, compliance for leaders, apprenticeship costings and best practices in initial assessment.
Louise Doyle
Louise is the CEO of Mesma, specialists in quality assurance & improvement in post-16 education & employment support, and a Strategic Senior Associate with SDN. They work with hundreds of technical education providers throughout the UK through their software and wraparound support services. Her particular interest is in encouraging education professionals to think beyond any regulatory framework, nudging change to support providers to focus on doing what matters most for their learners. Louise and the team at Mesma advocate for the many routes to successful careers that are available, encouraging other small businesses to take on apprentices, T-Level placement students and interns. She holds a Masters in Educational Leadership, is a regional chair of Wise Academies, is a board member of Education Partnership North East, and sits on the BCS employer steering group.
Alex Miles
Alex has worked in the FE Sector for over 18 years and is Managing Director at Yorkshire Learning Providers, Director & Chair of The Northern Skills Network and Deputy Chair of the West Yorkshire Skills Partnership. Alex is also a Governor at Selby College & trustee at Appris Education Trust.
Yorkshire Learning Providers supports over 100 employment & skills providers across Yorkshire and provides ongoing advice and guidance on local, regional & national policy developments, providing them with a voice & platform to improve post-16 education. Alex also provides frequent, high-quality CPD & IAG members, stakeholders, and schools. Alex provides the wider FE sector, employers & Universities locally & nationally with consultancy & support services to meet & enhance their business needs, particularly in relation to quality improvement, inspection preparation, audit & compliance, and Governance.
Alex is passionate about utilising post-16 education programmes as a vehicle to improve social mobility, inclusion, diversity and providing 2nd chances for people who may have missed out on mainstream education. Alex was a member of the development team of the social mobility commissions apprenticeship toolkit & attends frequent meetings with the Department for Education Participation Team to address inclusion, engagement, and greater access to education programmes – especially for those who are hardest to reach across the North.
Dr Louise Karwowski
A passionate believer in removing barriers to learning.
Director of Education at Cognassist, involved with strategic Research & Development and supporting the progression of the Quality agenda into education and the workplace. Cognassist is a digital assessment tool that shows how you think and learn. This helps people to understand themselves better and support tutors and learning providers to deliver information in the right way. We break down barriers to learning and support people to be the best that they can be. We have assessed over 175,000 people to date and have helped learners with learning differences achieve their qualifications and progress onto further study or employment with confidence in their own abilities.
Previously Louise spent over 14 years working in the Higher Education sector supporting disabled students and staff with access to reasonable adjustments via government funding. She saw first-hand the impact of this type of support on achievement, progression and personal success.
Louise Chairs the AELP Learning Support Special Interest Group and is the Co-Founder of the Creative Arts Mental Health Alliance.