Phil Hodgkinson

Membership Grade: Member
Length of IfL Membership: 2 Years 2 Months
Current Position: Full Time Tutor
Reserved Seat: FE Colleges/Yorkshire and the Humber

I intend, in the statement below, to fully indicate my reasons for standing for election to the Institute for Learning Advisory Council:   

What are my relevant skills and experience that equip me to be a member representative?

I have been involved in teaching for the last twenty years, teaching bricklaying and construction. During this time I have been involved with the Guild of Bricklayers promoting excellence in construction, organizing and running bricklaying competitions regional and national; through the guild I have attended many council meetings regarding educational matters affected by changes in the curriculum.   

What is my passion and eligibility making me an appropriate representative as part member of the IfL Advisory Council?

I am a new member to IfL and I believe that being a member has opened a new world of support and sharing good practice for me. My vision is to bring to the forum opinions from the new members as this is my first time of applying for these council elections. My experience being a college governor and a member of the Guild of Bricklayers has given me the opportunity to deal with other colleges nationally. I believe I could make the difference on the council board supplying the views of the grassroots.   

What are my unique selling points? The special qualities I would bring to the role that make me a particularly appropriate candidate, why members should vote for me.

Since I am from the grassroots I can relate to the trials and tribulations involved in teaching. I am totally committed to supporting and developing fellow practitioners and teaching and learning in further education, to raising the national profile of the sector and its practitioners. The Institute for Learning has a pivotal role to play in this respect. I believe that the role of the council is to ensure its success.   

How will I communicate with members? What are my strategies for establishing a manageable two-way flow of information, ideas and opinions with the members I represent and will ensure members have confidence in meas their representative.

I believe that the Council of the IfL would benefit from the input of people such as myself. Enthusiastic about learning and directly involved in the everyday provision and delivery of education. To manage the flow of information I plan to develop my IfL ‘blog site’ for members to access current information if elected.