10 Aug 2009

NSAFS announces the appointment of Sue Ramsey as Yorkshire and Humber Regional Director

The National Skills Academy for Financial Services (NSAFS) has announced the appointment of Sue Ramsey as Regional Director for Yorkshire and Humber. As Regional Director Sue will move from being a client of the Skills Academy to leading its development in the region and ensuring the Skills Academy delivers education, skills and training that meets employer needs in one of the UK’s largest financial services hubs.

Sue has dedicated her career to the development of skills in the workplace. Prior to joining the NSAFS, she was UK Learning Development Manager for National Australia Bank Group where she introduced Apprenticeships and developed a skills and qualification curriculum. In that role she was a member of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Employer Board of the Skills Academy.

Prior to that appointment, she was Learning Manager at Abbey where her team was responsible for identifying, designing and delivering learning programmes for employees. A major part of her role involved working closely with a wide variety of major stakeholders in the industry as well as devising innovative approaches to skills development.

Sylvia Perrins, CEO NSAFS, commented: “We are fortunate to have someone of Sue’s calibre and experience on board. She is a respected financial services leader in the region and has a real passion for facilitating development in others and generating improved performance through learning. I look forward to strengthening relationships with both providers and employers in the region with Sue on board.”

Sue Ramsey, Regional Director Yorkshire and Humber, commented: “As a former client of the Skills Academy I am passionate about its work and can bring an employer’s perspective to the challenges we are facing in skills development in the industry.

“Yorkshire and Humber is one of the most important financial services hubs in the UK. The financial services industry is a vital sector for the region’s economy and involves a high proportion of people who live here. I’m looking forward to developing the skills curriculum and providing vital support where it is needed.”

The National Skills Academy for Financial Services is a registered charity that offers national centres of excellence in education, skills training and development in seven regions, working in partnership with employers to develop a financial services workforce with the knowledge and skills they need to more than match the best in the world.

Sue will be working with the Regional Employer Board, which includes representatives from:

• Leeds Building Society
• Yorkshire Bank
• Aviva
• Engage Mutual Assurance
• HBOS
• Learning and Skills Council (LSC)
• Yorkshire Forward
• Leeds Financial Services Initiative.

The Board is chaired by Clive Leach of yfm group.

Leeds City College is the lead training provider in the Yorkshire and Humber region. Other providers are:

• Craven College
• Skipton
• York College
• Kaplan Financial

Notes to Editors

1. The National Skills Academy for Financial Services is a registered charity which was created with the express purpose of delivering world-class education and training aligned with employer needs in the financial services industry to people of all age groups and learning backgrounds, helping them to prepare for and develop financial services careers. For more about the National Skills Academy for Financial Services or to get involved with us, email info@nsafs.co.uk.

1. According to a recent report by Deloitte for Yorkshire Forward on behalf of the Yorkshire and Humber Financial Task Force, the financial services industry in the Leeds City region alone employs more than 240,000 people, representing more than 20 per cent of the Leeds City region workforce (based on full-time equivalents) and contributing over 27 per cent of total output at circa £12.9 billion in 2008.

For further information please contact Sarah Evans-Toyne, Tania Vie Riba or Saira Khan (Broadgate) 020 7726 6111 or
email nsafs@bgate.co.uk.