About Us - ALPS Alphi

ALPS ALPHI Information

We host regular networking meetings for our members and opportunities to meet and discuss latest developments with the Skills Funding Agency and other potential funders, Local Enterprise Partnerships, Local Authorities and important national bodies. We also provide the opportunity for service providers to the sector to meet with our members to showcase their products and solutions.

ALPS ALPHI works closely with neighbouring networks, whilst the interests of our members and Surrey, Hants/IOW in general are represented by ALPS ALPHI on several boards and forums including the Surrey Employment and Skills Board and the association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) at both national and regional levels.

ALPS ALPHI coordinates several events across the county including employer fairs and, in its fifth year, the prestigious Apprenticeship Graduation Ceremony at Guildford Cathedral, which sees Surrey’s Apprentice Graduates celebrating their success with family, training providers and employers in full cap and gown regalia in a wonderful location.

In addition ALPS ALPHI is at the forefront of raising awareness of Apprenticeships through work with schools and sixth-form colleges; attending Careers events, speaking at assemblies and running workshops. In November 2019 we were presented with an award by The Careers & Enterprise Company recognising our work in this area.

For more information about how ALPS ALPHI membership can benefit your business, please visit our membership page or contact us.

CURRENT
PROJECTS

ALPS ALPHI Benefits

As a member of ALPS ALPHI you benefit from:

Regular opportunities to network with other providers – share good practice and challenges with other Training Providers and develop working relationships with ITPs and Colleges
Representation through ALPSALPHI on the Employment & Skills Board for Surrey, Apprentice Ambassador Network, Association of Employment & Learning Providers (our Chair, John Osborne is on the AELPS National Board and Sue Taylor, our Network Manager, is AELP’s Regional Chair)
Input to Local Enterprise Partnerships through ALPS ALPHI involvement with both Enterprise M3 and Coast to Capital LEPs
Raising awareness of Apprenticeships amongst school/college leavers through the successful ASK Project. Members information can also be shared (please note ALPS ALPHI provides impartial advice by promoting all members equally at events).
Strong, collaborative links with Surrey Chamber of Commerce and Federation of Small Businesses
Immediate sharing of funding and delivery opportunities, policy updates etc via email
Opportunities to develop new employer links at Employment Events (eg during Apprenticeship week)

JOHN
OSBORNE

Chair of ALPS ALPHI

John has been involved with training in many different roles for 25 years. He started as an Engineering Apprentice himself, his contribution to Education & Training comes from a grounded experience, which has been further enhanced by holding a Directorship for Business & Partnership development at MIT Skills.

His guidance and expertise grew in developing a training programme and academy for Network Rail. John also initiated the BAE training centre in Portsmouth. His diverse skills were utilised in setting up the National Skills Academy from Manufacturing to collaborative work with SKY/MACE and Hounslow Council in aiding jobless back into work.

John is currently the chair of ALPS & ALPHI having previously served on its board to actively assist the members in all areas of its membership. John is always questioning the role of the local network and the benefits that the members achieve ensuring that they are offered value for participating in the local network.

You never judge a book by its cover, and John is no exception, his various interests including collecting miniature buses to owning and riding a collector’s item Ducati. John is borne out by his openness to new ideas, but with a diligence to dig further where necessary and to get projects moving forward towards their completion

FIONA
STILWELL

BOARD MEMBER

Fiona Stilwell, Managing Director of Activate Apprenticeships & Business School has over 19 years specialising in the Apprenticeship Sector. Activate Apprenticeships delivers apprenticeships, training and consulting to clients across the UK, with a range of specialisms including engineering and leadership. Being passionate about Apprenticeships Fiona is also a non-executive director of DiVA Apprenticeships and on the board for ALPS ALPHI (Apprenticeship provider network).

Sharing experience is important to Fiona in continuing to deliver social mobility and productivity for employers in an uncertain market. She demonstrates this through her active involvement in influencing the AoC policy consultations, most recently Provider Earnings Limit and sharing experiences as a lead provider with employers trailblazer groups to develop specialist and higher level engineering Standards.

SUE
TAYLOR

NETWORK MANAGER

Sue has worked for ALPS since 2003, she joined as a freelancer, running the networks ESF programmes which in total were valued at £4 million. Sue continued to run these until their successful completion and alongside these ALPS ran the Train to Gain contract. Both contracts were Ousted inspected at Grade 2.

Previously to ALPS, Sue worked as a Director for Kingsley Training, a Grade 2 provider in Care.

Sue’s main role is building ALPS ALPHI’s membership ensuring there is a wide selection of providers in the group.

Sue represents the network ensuring that ALPS ALPHI is always thought upon as the Go-To place for apprenticeships/traineeships in Surrey, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The Employment and Skills Board for Surrey
AELP, Sue is the regional Chair in the South
Meetings with both Coast to Capital and Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnerships
The ASK project (Apprenticeships Support and Knowledge in Schools)
National Apprenticeship Service National awards
ESF work within the LEP’s
Surrey Chamber of Commerce links with employers
Federation of Small Business links with employers

LOUIS
ENGLISH

Digital Media Apprentice

Louis has joined ALPS ALPHI in the Autumn of 2022 as a shared Apprentice with Nescot College, where he works in the Marketing team. He will be helping to increase ALPS ALPHI profile on Social Media and working with Sue at some school visits, where a current apprentice’s viewpoint will be really relevant to students considering their future options.

Louis will also be providing insight into his own Apprenticeship Journey with a diary to be summarised on this website Mike Driscoll

Mike Driscoll

Non-Executive Director

Mike jointed the ALPS/ALPHI as a non-executive director in 2022. Mike chairs various sector committees and enjoys sharing knowledge and experiences of engineering and education. As a DSL, Mike is actively involved with safeguarding and works to promote safeguarding measures and initiatives.