College Appoints Director to lead North-West Construction Technical Excellence College

We have appointed Jo Hall as Director of the North-West Construction Technical Excellence College (CTEC), a government-backed initiative established to strengthen construction skills and workforce capacity across the region.

The North-West Construction Technical Excellence College (CTEC) is one of only ten such colleges nationally, funded by the Department for Education. Led by Wigan & Leigh College, it works in partnership with Blackpool & The Fylde College and East Lancashire Learning Group. Together with further education providers, employers and training organisations, the CTEC is improving the quality, relevance and progression of technical construction education across the region.

The CTEC model focuses on raising standards across the whole region, ensuring people can access high-quality construction training close to home, aligned to what employers need now and in the future.

In her role as Director, Jo will lead the strategic development of the CTEC, working across the region to build a strong, collaborative network that responds to current and future skills needs. This includes overseeing partnership activity, capital investment, curriculum development, quality improvement and engagement with national bodies and government.

Jo joins the CTEC from University Technical College Warrington, where she was a member of the Senior Leadership Team. She has extensive experience in leading large technical departments, delivering capital-funded projects, implementing T Levels and working closely with employers to design industry-relevant provision. Her career spans senior roles across further education, university technical colleges and skills partnerships.

Previously, Jo led professional engineering and built environment provision at Riverside College, where she was responsible for significant curriculum growth, quality improvement and employer engagement across multiple qualification types. She has also worked at regional and national level on technical education reform, including Level 4 and 5 skills development, encouraging women into STEM careers, and green skills initiatives.

Commenting on the appointment, Jo said: “I am delighted to be taking on the role of Director for the North-West Construction Technical Excellence College. Construction has a critical role to play in economic growth, infrastructure delivery and the transition to a greener economy. The CTEC provides a unique opportunity to bring partners together to raise standards, close skills gaps and create clear, high-quality pathways for learners and employers across the region.”

The CTEC will focus on strengthening technical training, supporting workforce upskilling, sharing best practice across providers, and ensuring provision is aligned with employer demand and regional priorities.

Employers, training providers and partners interested in working with the North-West CTEC can find out more by contacting Wigan & Leigh College at CTECenquiries@wigan-leigh.ac.uk