Phil Adams

Senior Manager, Employment and Skills / Operations Lead – Skills, HotSW LEP 

Phill leads the Skills and Employment Team within Devon County Council, and related projects and initiatives across the Heart of the South West LEP. This includes:

• responsibility for careers advice and guidance
• apprenticeships and post 16 education
• adult skills and community learning (lifelong learning)
• digital skills development
• employment and economic inclusion activity
• and wider investment and policy matters linked to the skills agenda.

Previously, Phill worked on business support and intelligence in a variety of roles.

Khristine Norton

Employment and Skills Strategy Manager

Khristine has a long background in all branches of government-funded post 16 learning and leads on planning routeways to learning and work for people of all ages. In particular, Khristine, and her team, is responsible for:

• Young people’s transition to post 16 learning
• Initiatives for young people who are NEET, and raising post participation
• Careers advice and guidance including the work of CSW Group and the Careers Hub
• Initiatives to support vulnerable individuals, or those with additional needs, into the workplace
• Apprenticeships, Traineeships, T levels and other government-funded programmes
• Working with external partners and other Local Authorities across the LEP area

Jacob Coburn

Senior Economic Development Officer Skills and Education, HotSW LEP 

Jacob is part of the Skills and Employment Team within Devon County Council, and related projects and initiatives across the Heart of the South West LEP. This includes:

• careers advice and guidance.
• apprenticeships and post 16 education.
• adult skills and community learning.
• employment and economic inclusion activity.

Previously, Jacob has taught or managed in a variety of education settings from Secondary school and FE College through to Adult Education Provision and Behavioural units.

Suzanne Allen

Economic Development Assistant – Skills Marketing and Communications

Suzanne leads on marketing and communications for skills and employment, splitting her time between Devon County Council and the Heart of the South West LEP. She looks after the website, social media accounts and leads on campaigns that promote skills and employment across the Heart of the South West.

Previously Suzanne spend 10 years working in adult education supporting senior management and business support.

Victoria Gage

Careers Hub Manager

Working in partnership with the Careers and Enterprise Company, Victoria manages the Heart of the South West Careers Hub and Enterprise Adviser Network. Working in collaboration with employers, educationalists, training providers and local authority stakeholders to motivate, inspire and support young people. Enabling students to make informed choices about their future supports the business community in the creation of a skilled and inspired pool of employment ready local talent.

Charlotte Collyer

Digital Skills Partnership Manager

Charlotte manages the Heart of the South West LEP Digital Skills Partnership which brings together businesses, charities, and public sector organisations to tackle regional digital skills challenges. The partnership is one of six national pilots launched by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to translate the Governments Digital Strategy into tangible local delivery across Somerset, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay. Charlotte’s background includes Director of Software Company, founder of a tech start-up, Digital Marketing manager for an International Health Tech company and manager of FabLab Devon and the Business and Intellectual Property Centre.

Claire Coulston

Digital Skills Programme Coordinator

Claire is the programme coordinator for two digital skills programmes; Train4Tomorrow (DfE funded) and Digital Enablement of SME’s (ESF funded). Claire’s background includes supporting the HotSW LEP Careers Hub team, working as Enterprise Coordinator across Torbay and Plymouth as well as working in Education roles within EDF by looking after the HPC Inspire Programme in Somerset and on their corporate STEM/Sustainability website. Claire is passionate about the value of Apprenticeships and vocational training and has worked for South Devon College Apprenticeship team.