Angel Gani: A Passionate Advocate for Further Education and Learner Success

Introduction

I have been working in the education sector for over 23 years in both technical and strategic leadership roles. Although my career started in sales (commercial technical training sales) but, I have always been involved in developing programmes for individuals who were at the start of their careers. My work always involved working alongside many stakeholders, including awarding bodies such as Microsoft, VMware and Cisco, as well as working closely with many private training providers to launch short Bootcamps in the commercial sector to upskill not only the workforce but also help delegates learn the skills required by many employers in the market.

Just under 5 years ago, I had the opportunity to transition into further education as I had the desire to make a broader impact, and I was involved in launching Skills Bootcamp's first wave, which was a success. During the last nine years, I have been heavily involved in curriculum design and development, working with different teams around educational policy and creating many different versions of processes to help organisations outshine in providing the best and putting the learners at the heart of everything.

I have been involved in many round tables discussing topics related to education and employability, engaged in professional networking events, and delivered many workshops, seminars, and so on. In my role as director of skills, my focus is mainly on how to improve educational quality, create and improve processes, and ensure that what we deliver is aligned with labour market trends.

Why did you choose a career in further education?

I come from a very humble background where going to school was such a privilege, my main motivation behind starting my career in further education has always been my passion for learning and sharing knowledge with others. Being in the education sector for many years, I believe that education is the key to unlocking anyone's potential and achieving personal and professional goals.

Seeing and experiencing many success stories gave me great satisfaction in helping individuals succeed and seeing them grow intellectually and professionally; this started by experiencing success through my own children, and when I felt the fulfilment, that’s when I decided to pursue a career in further education and make a positive impact on the lives of others.

Tell us about a notable early experience in your career

One of the most memorable experiences was when I was asked to present in front of 300 sixth-form students and answer their random questions about careers in technology and deep-diving into explaining the difference between university career paths and professional qualifications as well as apprenticeship pathways.

I was nervous, as it was my first time delivering to such a large and young group of students. However, I spent a lot of time preparing and rehearsing, and the event went very well. The students were engaged and asked thoughtful questions, and I received positive feedback from both the students and the head of sixth form.

This experience gave me confidence in my abilities as an educator and leader.

How have you developed your career as a leader in further education?

As a leader in further education, I have developed my career through continually seeking out opportunities for professional development and growth. I have attended many conferences, workshops, and seminars, and I am pursuing an MBA in Strategic Management & Leadership alongside some industry-recognised certifications.

I also build strong relationships with colleagues and mentors in the field. I have found that networking and collaborating with others is the best way to learn new approaches and new strategies and this helps with staying informed about all the latest trends and developments in the sector.

I am very active on LinkedIn; this is where I always share my ideas and, learn from industry experts, and network with like-minded professionals. Currently, my role as director of skills, where I am serving in a leadership role, has been an excellent way to build my knowledge and skills and be seen as a visible leader in further education.

Tell us about some key achievements in your career

One of my proudest moments was when I was awarded with an outstanding achievement award very early in my career. This award recognised my contributions and my dedication, and I never looked back after that. Another great achievement was when I was promoted to a leadership position within the education sector. That opportunity gave me the pleasure of having a greater impact on the overall direction and vision of the division, as well as mentoring and supporting other colleagues.

Apart from this sector, I have received an award for the best presenter of the year as I was hosting TV shows for an Afghan channel and being able to speak fluent Dari helped me publish a few articles about the importance of education and present at many conferences on topics related to further education.

These experiences have allowed me to share my expertise with a wider audience and to contribute to the larger conversation around best practices in education.

What have been the biggest challenges you've faced in your career and how did you overcome them?

Just like many leaders, I have experienced some challenges throughout my career. One of the biggest challenges I have faced was understanding the funded sector with many complicated rules and regulations around many policies which was new to me as in the commercial sector, I was not familiar with these policies to the extent it is being practised in the government-funded world, and also managing a team remotely due to pandemic while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

To overcome this challenge, I have prioritised a time management strategy. This has included reading about all the policies, spending time with some colleagues in the quality team to understand the KPIs and also prioritising tasks, meeting the team as regularly as possible virtually, creating an open door policy so my team could reach out to me as and when they needed support. I have also found that delegating tasks to colleagues and utilising technology to streamline tasks has been helpful in managing my workload.

Another challenge I have faced is navigating complex interpersonal dynamics within departments. This can be especially challenging when working with individuals who have different communication styles.

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To overcome this challenge, I have focused on building strong relationships and arranging one-on-one time with them to understand their perspectives and needs. I have also sought out professional support from within the organisation to help me understand and strengthen my skills in this area. I can say that I am good at adopting a proactive and flexible approach, which always helped me overcome different challenges in my personal and professional life.

What are your thoughts on improving the further education sector?

From what I have seen and experienced, there must be clearer support and investment in employer engagement and providing high-quality education for individuals from diverse backgrounds. This can be achieved through initiatives such as targeted outreach and recruitment efforts, funding access to employers to upskill the workforce without any contribution, and the development of more flexible and accessible learning models that accommodate the needs of all learners. There is a need for better collaboration with employers to ensure all program's content is aligned with the needs of the workforce, and this will help with preparing the learners.

Another important area for improvement, in my opinion, would be the full integration of technology into teaching and learning, from the point potential learners make an enquiry all the way to providing digital resources and platforms where the learners could engage and see their progress, showing data of how much they have improved and areas of improvements and challenges they are facing. There has to be ongoing professional development for all educators to stay up to date with the current trends and to follow the best practices. Training providers must take the initiative to introduce more frequent opportunities for peer mentoring and collaboration, as well as access to continuing education and certification programs.

What advice would you give to aspiring leaders in further education?

Aspiring leaders in further education should focus on prioritising their personal and professional growth. They should always promote effective communication and relationship-building skills, putting learners' best interests at the heart of everything and promoting their success as well as well-being. It is always about Networking, Networking, and Networking – collaboration and, again, Networking.

Find out more

You can find Angel on LinkedIn so connect and follow her there.

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