North East CTEC Educator Conference 2026

The programme of sessions for the conference are as follows. You are welcome to sign up to multiple sessions, for online sessions you will receive a joining link via Teams. 

Online sessions: 

⦁ Wednesday 25 March, 15:00-15:30 - Lindsay Gaskill, TLA Coach & World Skills Endorsed Trainer, Newcastle College, "World Skills Competitions and Pressure Tests"
⦁ Wednesday 25 March, 15:30-16:00 - Mark Stewart, TLA Coach & Maths Teacher, Newcastle College, "AI for Construction"
⦁ Wednesday 25 March, 16:00-16:30 - Andrea Davis, Standards Manager, Newcastle College, "Apprenticeships in Construction"
⦁ Friday 27 March, 08:15-08:45 - Daniel Madine – Lecturer and Programme Leader Carpentry and Joinery. Carl Hicks – Lecturer and Programme Leader Plumbing. Kevin Barker – Lecturer and Programme Leader Plumbing. "New to teaching professional discussion - ‘Toolbox Talks’"
⦁ Monday 30 March, 08:15-08:45 - Shane McGuiness – Lecturer and Programme Leader Electrical Installation, EPNE, "Using digital tools to support progress"
⦁ Tuesday 31 March, 08:15-08:45 - Lauren Pybus – Lecturer and Programme Leader Construction EPNE, "T Levels sequencing for success"
⦁ Tuesday 31 March, 08:15-08:45, Robert MacLellan and Ben Murdoch, New College Durham, "Putting Mentoring Into Practice: Insights from New to Teaching and Construction Coaching"

⦁ Wednesday 1 April, 13:30-14:00, Opening Keynote, Dr Susan Dawson "Teaching beyond your trade: Connecting education and industry"

Construction projects can fail when skills are lacking — but more often they struggle when the gaps between trades and professions aren’t fully understood. This keynote explores how construction education can bridge those gaps and better prepare learners for the realities of a greener, smarter and safer industry. 

⦁ Wednesday 1 April, 15:30-16:00, Stuart Miller, Director at the Civil Engineering Contractors Association - Closing thoughts (online attendance)

In-person sessions: 

⦁ Wednesday 1 April, 12:00-16:00 -North East CTEC Educator Conference, Harvard Lecture Theatre 403,Northumbria University Business and Law School (CCE1)

Which includes:

13:30-14:00, Opening Keynote, Dr Susan Dawson "Teaching beyond your trade: Connecting education and industry"

Construction projects can fail when skills are lacking — but more often they struggle when the gaps between trades and professions aren’t fully understood. This keynote explores how construction education can bridge those gaps and better prepare learners for the realities of a greener, smarter and safer industry. 

15:30-16:00, Stuart Miller, Director at the Civil Engineering Contractors Association - Closing thoughts (online attendance)

The conference programme for in person sessions can be found here.

More information about each session and speaker bios are as follows: 

Lindsay Gaskill, TLA Coach & World Skills Endorsed Trainer, Newcastle College

"World Skills Competitions and Pressure Tests"

Pressure tests are standardised assessments designed to evaluate students' skills and knowledge in a specific trade or profession through the World Skills marking scheme. These pressure tests provide a rigorous assessment of student performance.

Speaker bio: Lindsay Gaskill is an established Teaching, Learning and Assessment (TLA) Coach and Centre of Excellence Quality Lead at Newcastle College, with over two decades of experience in further education andspecialist skills development. Her work is closely aligned to the WorldSkills UK mission of raising training standards, sharing best practice, and supporting high‑performance skills development across the FE sector. 

Mark Stewart, TLA Coach & Maths Teacher, Newcastle College

"AI for Construction"

How AI tools can support teachers and learners in an education setting to improve quality and reduce workloads.

Speaker bio: I am a Teaching, Learning and Assessment Coach at Newcastle College, working closely with the Transport and Construction teams to support a high-quality learner experience. I have nearly twenty years of experience teaching and leading maths in the Further Education sector. My role focuses on helping staff develop practical, evidence-informed approaches that improve classroom and workshop practice, learner engagement and outcomes. I am particularly interested in adaptive teaching, assessment and feedback, and the effective use of AI to enhance teaching quality and reduce workload. I am known for being supportive, thoughtful and solutions-focused, with a strong commitment to helping colleagues build confidence, refine their practice and create ambitious, inclusive learning environments.

Andrea Davis, Standards Manager, Newcastle College

"Apprenticeships in Construction"

Share experience in delivering high-quality management of apprenticeship programmes to ensure learners achieve their qualifications efficiently and to a high standard

Speaker bio: Andrea’s role as Standards Manager for the Construction trades, centres on quality, compliance, and performance management within apprenticeship provision at Newcastle College. She helps make sure apprenticeship programmes are well‑run, learner‑focused, and aligned to regulatory and industry standards. 

Daniel Madine – Lecturer and Programme Leader Carpentry and Joinery, EPNE, Carl Hicks – Lecturer and Programme Leader Plumbing, EPNE, Kevin Barker – Lecturer and Programme Leader Plumbing, EPNE.

"New to teaching professional discussion - ‘Toolbox Talks’"

Explore through discussion the transition from the ‘Toolbox’ to ‘Education’ for Construction practitioners. This session will reflect the current experiences of Education Partnership North East’s new to organisation and teaching members of staff. Find out the challenges, the onboarding and induction practices, transition from workshop to classroom, and experiences on the Level 5 Diploma in Teaching curriculum that is helping to shape the practitioner journey.

Speaker bios: 

Daniel Madine: After more than 30 years working as a joiner in the construction industry, Dan transitioned into education and now teaches Carpentry and Joinery at Sunderland College HICSA. Although moving from site work to the classroom was initially daunting, the support of colleagues, tutors and leaders helped him quickly grow in confidence. He is currently completing his Level 5 Diploma in Teaching and continues to develop professionally every day. Since entering education, Dan has appeared on television, met MPs and received the City Hero Award. Above all, he is proud to help learners build the skills and confidence to succeed, calling it the best career decision he’s ever made.

Carl Hicks – Carl is a Lecturer and Programme Lead in Plumbing and Green Technologies, driven by a genuine passion for shaping confident, capable future students to develop within their trade. Before stepping into education, Carl spent 17 years as Managing Director of his own plumbing and heating company, leading teams and delivering standout projects. His background as a British Army Parachute Regiment sniper fuels the resilience, focus and leadership he brings to every lesson. Carl is currently completing his Level 5 Diploma in Education that encourages him to create teaching and training that’s dynamic, practical and firmly rooted in real industry experience.

Kevin Barker – Kevin is a Lecturer and Programme Leader in Plumbing, bringing a wealth of industry knowledge and practical experience into further education. His transition into teaching reflects a commitment to developing learners’ technical skills and preparing them for employment within the construction industry. Kevin supports students in both workshop and classroom environments, promoting professional standards and safe working practices. He is currently undertaking the Level 5 Diploma in Teaching, which is supporting his development as a reflective and effective practitioner. 

Shane McGuiness – Lecturer and Programme Leader Electrical Installation, EPNE

"Using digital tools to support progress"

This session introduces how key digital tools can streamline teaching and support learner progress. This session will explore how OneNote/Class Notebook can organise lesson materials and evidence, how Teams Assignments simplify task setting and feedback, and how Excel can be used to monitor assessment data and identify learners needing support. The session highlights how insights from these tools feed into continuous review and improvement of teaching practice.  

Speaker bio: Shane is a Programme Leader for Electrical Installation with over 35 years of combined industry and teaching experience. Before moving into education, he worked on large-scale projects including Disneyland Paris, as well as major installations for power stations, hospitals and Barclays Bank. He now focuses on delivering vocational training, developing curriculum, and using digital tools to support effective teaching and learning.  

Lauren Pybus – Lecturer and Programme Leader Construction EPNE

"T Levels sequencing for success"

This session looks at a reflective presentation on the teaching journey, focusing on how the practitioner develops the sequencing and delivery of the T Level in Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction, reviewing the lessons they are learning along the way.  

Speaker bio: Lauren is a Lecturer and Programme Leader for Construction, whose professional background is in estimating, holding responsibility for project costing and tender preparation for a variety of construction and civil engineering projects. Lauren now focusses on education and professional development, helping learners connect industry practice with academic study. 

Rob MacLellan – Lecturer of Carpentry & Joinery – New College Durham. Ben Murdoch - Teaching & Learning Innovation Lead - New College Durham 

"Putting Mentoring Into Practice: Insights from New to Teaching and Construction Coaching"

A session exploring the experiences of a Lecturer new to the FE sector, the challenges they face, and how tailored mentoring can support the development of practical classroom strategies and ease the pressures of starting out in teaching.

Speaker bios: Rob is a Lecturer in Carpentry & Joinery, focused on teaching the 1st Year Full-Time programme. He transitioned into FE at the start of this academic year. After retraining and working as a multi-skills woodworker for a few years, he spent the past decade developing and running a large wood workshop for a local charity. There, he worked with a wide range of people, including those from challenging backgrounds, experiencing social isolation, managing mental health issues, or with learning difficulties—helping them develop skills, build confidence, and find a place of belonging. He is now learning how to transfer this experience into the FE sector to provide strong support and relevant training for students just beginning their professional journeys. 

Ben Murdoch is an experienced education leader and teacher with a strong background in teaching, learning, and quality assurance within further and higher education. Currently serving as a Teaching, Learning Innovation Leader at New College Durham, he plays a strategic role in driving educational improvement, enhancing student outcomes, and supporting staff development in line with OFSTED & OFS frameworks. With 15 years of experience in education, Ben has held a range of leadership roles including Curriculum Leader, Programme Leader, and Teaching & Learning Coach. Across these positions, he has led curriculum design, quality assurance processes, staff mentoring, and programme validation, consistently focusing on aligning education with industry needs and improving learner progression. 

Dr Susan Dawson, Associate Professor & Educational Partnerships Lead

"Teaching beyond your trade: Connecting education and industry"

Construction projects can fail when skills are lacking — but more often they struggle when the gaps between trades and professions aren’t fully understood. This keynote explores how construction education can bridge those gaps and better prepare learners for the realities of a greener, smarter and safer industry. 

Speaker bio: Dr Susan Dawson is an Educational Partnerships Lead and Associate Professor in Architecture and the Built Environment at Northumbria University. With over 30 years of experience across industry and higher education, she brings an understanding of how academic learning and professional practice can be effectively integrated. 

She has led the design and development of innovative degree apprenticeship programmes, working closely with industry partners to create high-quality, practice-based education that supports both learners and employers. She is passionate about delivering education that mirrors real-world practice and maximises the value of both workplace and academic learning. 

Susan’s current role focuses on building and sustaining strategic partnerships that enhance opportunities for students and strengthen links between the university and the Built Environment. She also contributes nationally through apprenticeship standards and professional body advisory roles, supporting the continued development of vocational education.