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Association of Apprentices appoints inaugural Advisory Panel Co‑Chairs

14/05/2026

Graphic announcing the Association of Apprentices’ Advisory Panel Co‑Chairs, featuring the Association of Apprentices logo and headshots of Jenny Pelling, Director of Skills and Strategy at Kaplan and Provider and Assessment Organisation Representative Co‑Chair, and Jon Hornagold, Apprenticeship Manager at Amey and Employer Representative Co‑Chair.

The Association of Apprentices (AoA) is pleased to announce the appointment of its inaugural Advisory Panel Co‑Chairs, marking an important milestone in the Association’s governance and leadership.
 
Jenny Pelling, Director of Skills and Strategy at Kaplan UK, and Jon Hornagold, Apprenticeship Manager at Amey, have been appointed to jointly lead the Advisory Panel, representing provider and assessment organisations, and employers respectively.
The introduction of Co‑Chairs reflects the AoA’s commitment to balanced representation and shared leadership, ensuring the voices of employers, learning providers and assessment organisations continue to shape the Association’s strategic direction. The Advisory Panel will continue to benefit from Jenny’s established involvement, alongside the addition of new voices and perspectives such as Jon’s.
 

Strengthening leadership as the AoA enters its next phase

 
Commenting on the appointments, Lindsay Conroy, Chief Executive of the Association of Apprentices, said:
 
“I am delighted to welcome our two new Co‑Chairs of the AoA Advisory Panel to the Association’s governance structure. Representing the voices of employers, learning providers and assessment organisations, Jenny and Jon will play a vital role as we enter the next phase for the AoA and begin delivering our new corporate strategy, Together, We Grow.

Their leadership and insight will help ensure the AoA continues to strengthen its position as the professional home for apprentices across the UK, while also enhancing the value, support and collaboration we provide to our corporate members and Advisory Partners. I look forward to working closely with them both in the months ahead.”
 
The Advisory Panel plays a critical role in bringing together sector insight to inform and strengthen the AoA’s work, supporting its mission to improve outcomes for apprentices and elevate the apprentice voice across the UK.
 

About the Co‑Chairs

 
Jenny Pelling is Director of Skills and Strategy at Kaplan, where she leads the strategic direction of apprenticeships across accounting, financial services and data. A prominent voice in apprenticeship policy, Jenny works closely with government and sector bodies to advocate for an agile and inclusive skills system. She joined the AoA Advisory Panel in 2023 and brings extensive experience across education, assessment and governance.
 
Jon Hornagold is Apprenticeship Manager at Amey, overseeing the organisation’s apprenticeship levy, enrolments and partnerships in support of more than 500 apprentices across the UK. With a background spanning a 24‑year military career and senior learning and development roles in the public and private sectors, Jon brings a strong employer perspective and a deep commitment to social mobility and inclusion.
 
Both Co‑Chairs take up their roles with immediate effect and will work closely with the Advisory Panel, Board, Council Co‑Chairs and executive team. 

 

Jan Richardson-Wilde

CEO, Occupational Awards Limited

Jan is the CEO of Occupational Awards Limited, a Director of the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink and an FE College Governor. She has over 35 years’ experience in the education sector in strategic and operational management of training programmes with colleges, private training providers, local authorities the voluntary sector and not for profit organisations. Jan has previously been a board member of the Learning and Skills Council, chair of the North Yorkshire Training Provider network and Vice-Chair of Yorkshire Coast College and a Governor of the Grimsby Institute for Further and Higher Education. She has extensive experience of education policy, apprenticeships, qualification, and curriculum development as well as business improvement.

Jan joined OAL in 2019, a leading non-profit industry-focused Awarding and End-Point Assessment Organisation, supporting a wide range of employers and of key stakeholders to succeed and surpass expectations. Jan is committed to continuous improvement and enthusiastic about improving the effectiveness, impact and quality of apprenticeships, education, and training in the UK and internationally. She has a wide range of experience of working in a collaborative context with employers and training providers to develop End Point Assessment, apprenticeships, and a wide range of vocational programmes.