AoC Sustainability and Green Skills Conference 2025

Kaylen Camacho McCluskey is a Research Assistant at the Energy Futures Lab, Imperial College London, where she focuses on green jobs and skills needs in the renewable energy and building retrofit sectors. She is the lead author of the policy briefing paper Net Zero Skills: Jobs, Skills and Training for the Net-Zero Energy Transition, which explores the challenges and opportunities in improving the supply of training for low-carbon energy jobs in the UK. Kaylen holds an MSc in Environmental Technology from Imperial College London.

David McClymont has worked in Further Education (FE) for over thirty years and is currently Vice Principal for Curriculum & Standards within the South Thames Colleges Group (STCG). The role includes taking Group-wide responsibility for the provision of adult education. He sees FE as uniquely positioned to provide the skilled workforce demanded by stakeholders. With coordinated planning, colleges can create stronger and more varied pathways for students to use in order to access well paid work. The push towards net zero will open up many options in this regard and has informed STCG’s recent creation of a Net Zero Training Hub.

As Principal & CEO Lowell led Dudley College of Technology from March 2008 to December 2019. The college was rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted in March 2017 and announced as winner of the Queens Anniversary Prize in December 2019. Lowell was recognised as TES Further Education Leader of the Year in 2018 and was also appointed by DfE as a first National Leader of Further Education. Prior to leading Dudley College of Technology, Lowell was Principal at Beacon Award winning South Leicestershire College which was rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted in 2007.

In challenging economic times Lowell led the creation of the multi-million-pound Dudley Learning Quarter and the formation of the Dudley Academies Trust in 2018, a multi-academy trust comprising four secondary and two primary schools. He is currently Chair of the Trust Board. In 2017 Lowell helped form Colleges West Midlands a collaboration of all FE colleges in the West Midlands and has Chaired the group from its formation.

Dave’s role is to spearhead impactful initiatives aimed at environmental stewardship and innovation. His leadership has been instrumental in driving forward key sustainability projects, notably overseeing the development of three net zero carbon buildings: the Connolly Centre for Modern Construction in Bedford, Corby Sixth Form and Kingshill Farm at Shuttleworth College. Additionally, Dave has successfully orchestrated two campus refurbishments, integrating cutting-edge technologies such as river water source and air source heat pumps to maximize energy efficiency. Bedford College were most recently praised at the 2024 Green Gown Awards, winning in the 2030 Climate Action category.

David Hughes became Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges in September 2016. Before that he was Chief Executive at Learning and Work Institute and spent over 10 years at the Learning and Skills Council and Skills Funding Agency where he had national responsibility for funding and improvement with colleges and providers. David holds several Board positions including with the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics and the Bell Foundation. He was Vice-Chair of the East Midlands Regional Assembly in the 1990s, founding Chair of the Education and Training Foundation in 2013 and has helped set-up several third sector organisations.

As Co-Founder and Director of HI Group, Russell brings 30 years of transformative experience to the table, shaping corporate social responsibility, decarbonisation, and sustainability across a range of SME and FTSE 100 organisations. A qualified MCIOB, CEEQUAL Assessor, and CIBSE Low Carbon Consultant, Russell’s specialist expertise includes developing carbon mitigation plans, enhancing climate resilience, and overseeing renewable and energy efficiency projects for commercial buildings and district infrastructure, making him a trusted expert in decarbonisation projects of all kinds.

As Vice Principal for Curriculum Development and Innovation at The City of Liverpool College, Neil is responsible for the shaping of curriculum through strategic relationships with industry. With these relationships at the heart of its skills strategy, the college has secured investment in state-of-the-art training facilities for green skills, kept pace with evolving skills demands, and built an agile curriculum capable of meeting the skills challenges linked to the Liverpool City Region’s net zero targets. Neil was also the skills nominee for the 2024 Ofsted inspection that adjudged the college to be making a strong contribution to meeting skills needs, citing its “exceptional network of stakeholders”, the impact of which is “highly recognised locally, regionally, nationally and […] internationally”.

Joe Billington has worked in the Education, Skills and Employment sector for twenty-seven years He led and managed work based learning, further education institutions and careers services in east London for ten years before moving into government agencies. He was Director of Communications for the Learning and Skills Council first in London and then nationally between 2007 and 2012. He led the National Careers Service and transformed its operations from 2012 to 2020. He is now Deputy Director in the Strategic Policy Directorate of the Department for Education, leading on Sustainability and Climate Change alongside the Policy Profession and Child Poverty.

Previous to this role, Melanie has been in teacher in FE, HE and Adult Education. She has also worked in various leadership roles in a national adult education charity. She was a patron of the Centenary Commission on Adult Education in 2019. Melanie is passionate about adult education and has lead work on education for sustainable development and social justice for many years and is currently studying for a Doctorate in Education with a focus on adult educator’s agency in climate and social justice action. She is an Honorary Fellow of the University of Nottingham and is Chair of the Colleges West Midland’s Sustainable Futures Partnership. She is also Chair of the AoC’s Sustainability and Climate change reference group. Melanie is also a trustee of Birmingham Friends of the Earth.

Vince Glover is an established business strategy and growth leader, with over 25 years of senior leadership experience across education, training and skills development. He has led and executed a wide range of strategic initiatives across Further Education, training providers and sector skills councils as well as driving strategic engagement and transformation for major global organisations including Pearson and Oxford University Press.

Alex Wilson is a dedicated sustainability and energy consultant at SEFirst, a leading provider of energy and utilities solutions for the industrial and commercial sector. With over six years of experience in the oil and energy industry, Alex specialises in helping businesses and educational institutions navigate the complexities of energy management, sustainability, and utility commodity trading.

At SEFirst, Alex works with a diverse portfolio of clients, developing tailored energy management strategies, bureau services, and energy efficiency solutions. A key focus is supporting Further Education colleges in embedding sustainability into their operations and long-term planning. Alex helps institutions plot their route to net zero, providing expert guidance on carbon reduction initiatives, renewable energy procurement, and strategic sustainability roadmaps. By integrating market intelligence and data-driven insights, Alex ensures colleges can reduce emissions, enhance energy resilience, and future-proof their operations in a cost-effective way.