Executive Director, Make UK || Former Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships & HE (2022-24 & 2016-17) || Former Harlow MP (2010-24) || Attended Cabinet (2015-16) || Former Education Committee Chair (2017-22)

I have enjoyed 14 wonderful years in Parliament, representing the people of Harlow and the villages, championing education, skills and apprenticeships and campaigning to cut the cost of living. My first speech in 2010 was about apprenticeships, and I am proud to have twice served as Minister of State for Apprentices at the Department for Education.

In my previous role as Minister, I was proud to have boosted apprenticeships with a new UCAS service and launched the Skills for Life (https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/skills-for-life) campaign to encourage more employers to take on apprentices. I also scrapped the cap on the number of apprentices an SME can employ to maximise opportunities across the country, tripled the Care Leaver Bursary to £3,000 and tabled the Lifelong Learning Bill to revolutionise student finance to suit the needs of students and employers. In my last six months in office, I secured £110 million to boost apprenticeships in growth sectors.

In 2017, I was elected as Chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee (re-elected in 2019). I held this role for 5 years until becoming a Minister in October 2022 and, during this time, published reports on apprenticeships and the quality of apprenticeship provision, prison education, SEND, careers advice and guidance and actively spoke out against school closures, holding the Government to account over the Covid-19 catch-up programme.

I have continued my work in education and skills now as Executive Director of Make UK and previously through my Consultancy, Ladder of Opportunity.