EASTLEIGH-BASED Vocational Training Charitable Trust (VTCT), one of the UK’s largest technical and vocational training providers, has made two significant appointments to its senior leadership team.

Ashley Barnes has been promoted to the new post of deputy CEO and Carina Fagan, the charity’s former executive director of awarding, takes on Ashley’s previous role as chief academic officer.

The changes underscore a period of ambitious growth for the awarding body, as VTCT expands its portfolio of more than 1,900 education centres and consolidates its current market share of 63 per cent within the UK hair and beauty sector. A focus on developing the organisation’s core team at its Head Office in Eastleigh and new offices in Chiswick is also a key focus in the coming months.

Ashley joined the organisation ten years ago, and his expertise in awarding regulations and the changing nature of the vocational training landscape, will be critical in building the organisation’s profile ahead of the rollout of the Government’s T-Levels.

He said: “This is an exciting time to be taking on the role of deputy cEO at VTCT as we launch new and more advanced qualifications and expand our global outreach.

“We want to continue to be the go to organisation for employers and training providers and the lead provider of hair and beauty education across the UK and globally, providing a best-in-class, end-to-end qualification solution for all occupations in the sector.”

Carina will develop the organisation’s UK and international outreach and expansion, maintaining industry standards across multinational markets.