Stella Austin

Membership Grade: Member
Length of IfL Membership: 1 Year 8 Months
Current Position: Senior Academy Tutor
Reserved Seat: Work-based Learning

I have worked within the WBL sector for almost 10 years in various capacities, including on the front line as a Trainer &Assessor; Internal Verifier and as a Training Manager. Prior to this I worked within the Health and Social Care sector both at the front line of delivery and in managerial roles. My current role is as a Teacher Educator delivering ITT courses using leading edge techniques to ensure my learners have a fully flexible, interactive and effective learning experience. This has and still is giving me the opportunity to experience teaching and learning in a variety of settings. I believe this diverse range of experience within the sector places me in an ideal position to represent the work based learning sector on the council.

One of my passions is ‘nurturing learner potential’ to ensure the learner’s experience is a positive one, with a real sense of achievement and accomplishment, in recognition of this I recently won the Company’s Award for ‘Nurturing Potential’. I feel Aim in a fortunate position as a Teacher Educator in that through modelling good practice I may have some influence on trainee teachers to develop the same passion of nurturing potential. Another passion is ensuring teachers; trainers etc… as facilitators of learning in whatever sector, are supported and recognised in our own dedication to scholarly discourse and development.

For me the IfL plays an essential part in this by recognising and promoting the professionalism of all who work within the FE and Skills sector. As a Connections advisor the IfL has enabled me to support and develop critical reflection and CPD across the Company. The IfL is crucial to its members and the sector as a whole because it is through our voice collectively that can fight the bureaucracy that hinders us from doing what we signed up to do and what is at the heart of our industry; as well as to influence the future decisions of Government to ensure only the right decisions are made. I would be honoured to work on your behalf with the IfL in this crucial role.

Key to effective teaching and learning is effective communication and not making assumptions by second guessing. For me to represent your voice in the future of our industry we need to communicate. I will ensure I am accessible to all through a variety of mediums so I can take your ideas and opinions to the table.