The 157 Group has welcomed the appointment of Peter Lauener as Chief Executive of the Skills Funding Agency.
Dr Lynne Sedgmore CBE, executive director of the 157 Group, said, “In his time stewarding the Education Funding Agency, Peter has worked hard to understand the needs of Further Education Colleges and to support them during what has been a difficult period in terms of overall funding. He has been responsive to concerns, and Colleges have welcomed their ability to interact with the funding agency in a more localised way.
“We are sure that he will bring this approach with him now to his new role heading up the Skills Funding Agency. Having one Chief Executive for both agencies cannot help but bring about the consistency of approach which many in the Further Education world have long argued for.
“While we recognise that today’s announcement does not signal a merging of the two agencies themselves, we welcome the signal it most certainly gives that funding for our whole education system must be looked at in the round and through the same lens. We look forward to working with Peter in his new capacity – as well as his existing one.”