John Whitby
Chief Executive
I served an Electrical/Electronic apprenticeship with Gee Traction/ Alsthom in Trafford Park Manchester prior to becoming a Training Instructor for the GEC Group of companies at the Trafford Park site. I joined Stegta in 1993 and undertook various jobs including recruitment, quality assessor/training officer before becoming Chief Executive in 2003 following a very beneficial succession plan within theorganisation.
I'm also a Governor at Wellacre Academy School and former Governor at Trafford College.
Ian Parker
BDM / Deputy CEO
My relationship with STEGTA began in 1975 as a Mechanical Technician Apprentice with Budenberg Gauge Company Ltd. An Engineering career spanning 35 years followed, involving roles such as hands on Production work, through to Team Leadership, Production Management and finally Operational Management with the Anglo / French Calibration division of DH-Budenberg Ltd. After a 2 year period as a STEGTA Board Member, I finally joined the Team In February 2011, as Business Development Manager.
Paul Howarth
Group Training Manager
I joined STEGTA in 2003 after a 23 year career in engineering and a 4 year career in college teaching. Throughout my working life I have undertaken a variety of engineering roles, from the manufacture of large industrial equipment to maintaining and servicing machinery nationwide. I have supervised production workshops within the UK and have been part of a team that manufactured large industrial heating equipment that was exported worldwide.
Louise O'Toole
Assistant BDM
I have been working within work based learning since 2005 and completed Apprenticeships in Business Administration Levels 2 & 3 in the early stages of my career. I joined STEGTA in October 2012 as Business Development Officer where I work closely with employers looking to recruit an Apprentice and support their recruitment campaign. I also manage the STEGTA Membership & Business Training initiatives. I progressed to Assistant Business Development Manager in Jan 2019, where I’m heavily involved with the day to day running of the Business Development team.
Jennifer Swift
Quality & Contracts Manager
I have spent 19 years working in Work Based Learning, of which 16 years has been as a Contract Manager. I first started working for the funding body, Merseyside Training and Enterprise Council in 1998 before it became the Greater Merseyside Learning and Skills Council. After 9 years, I decided to make a change and moved to a training provider and have spent the last 10 years working for 2 different training providers before starting with STEGTA in November 2016.
Michelle Rennie
Finance & Performance Manager
I have worked in the Education sector for over 20 years, starting as a tutor and lecturer working at Derbyshire County Council and various colleges around Greater Manchester. Within my career I have managed many projects under EDRF, ESF, DWP LSC and ESFA funding, undertaken many management roles and have sat on various boards across the sector.
Sonja Hope
Recruitment Co-ordinator
I have been working within the work based learning sector for the past 27 years. I have experience in all aspects of Data Management, certificate and funding claims, audit and liaison with Awarding Bodies such as City and Guilds and Highfield. I commenced employment with STEGTA in September 2017 and am looking forward to working within the Business Development team as a Recruitment Co-Ordinator, as I embark on the next chapter of my career.
David Harrison
Training Instructor
My career began in 1989 at Hawke Cable Glands Ltd,where I served my time as a toolmaker in the toolroom. After 10 happy years I moved onto Deltic Engineering as a Machine building fitter for the exhaust industry. From there I moved onto Fife Tidlands in Denton working as a production miller, turner, fitter for 5 years, before finally working at DH Budenberg again as a production/tool room engineer. Joined Stegta in April 2012.
Emile Katona
Training Officer
I see myself as a dedicated and reliable civil engineer, having gained the necessary experience required in the construction industry. With the hands on experience I have gained, I was awarded an honours degree at Salford University. I am very happy to be part of Stegta because they have given me the opportunity to pass on my skills and experience to future trainees.
Steve Gregory
Training Officer
I served an apprenticeship with Hawker Sidley Dynamics on completion I became a Test Engineer. Progressing through the ranks, part of my responsibility became Training and Development of my Team. A change of career direction, twenty-five years ago, saw me become involved in full time Training and Development. I joined STEGTA in May 2022 as a Training Officer. My hobbies include motor racing and charity fund raising. I am president of an association of friends for an Old Peoples Home in Eccles.
Sara Elisa Amatteis
Training Officer
I have been working as an architect for 12 years, gaining experience overseas and in the UK.
I love a challenge that is why in my career I have been working with architectural firms, building companies, manufacturing and consultancy companies. My 360° experience makes me a true believer that learning is a key point in our lives and it never comes to an end, for this reason I decided to join STEGTA and help people in this challenging and rewarding process.
Martin Dawson
Training Officer
I started working at STEGTA in February 2019. I began my employment journey as an apprentice and completed the training achieving LCG, this involved a range of tasks in construction from bespoke work to heritage maintenance and repair.
I went on to discover a variety of opportunities for further development in construction and with the Corps of Royal Engineers, involving all aspects engineering, telecommunication and project managing.
Saad Dawood
Training Officer
As an architect I have gained substantial practical experience in construction industry overseas and in the UK. In addition to my degree in architecture (1991), I have a PhD degree in sustainable building design and BIM technology (2012). This has enabled me to gain academic/research experience throughout my career as a researcher and lecturer. I joined Stegta in 2017 as a training officer to transfer all my knowledge, skills and experience to future trainees.
Chris English
Training Officer
I joined Stegta in Oct 2019. I studied my apprenticeship at Northcote Precision Tooling LTD, where I gained skills in Milling, Turning, Grinding, Fitting, CNC Machining and Injection Moulding gaining my advanced modern apprenticeship in Engineering & Manufacturing. I have undertaken a variety of roles in my career from Toolmaker, CNC Machinist to Works Manager and more. I have worked in many sectors of engineering such as Automotive, Medical & Optical, Manufacturing, Defence, Aerospace, and Mechanical Engineering, creating products for some of the worlds leading companies.
Andrew Gresty
Training Officer
I joined STEGTA in Oct 22 after 45 yrs in industry. I started my working life as an apprentice fitter for the old GMPTE, overhauling things like Gardner diesel engines and large epicyclic gearboxes. From there, I moved into production engineering with Ingersoll Rand. The last 32 years I have worked for Procter & Gamble Ltd, originally carrying out maintenance on production lines before moving into the projects/technical department. For the last 20 yrs I worked on the Utilities & Facilities side of the factory ending up as the site offline leader.
John Saxton
Training Officer
I joined STEGTA in November 2022, where I wish to share my knowledge and experience with a new generation of learners.
I served a Mechanical & Production Engineering Apprenticeship at a variety of companies, mainly in steel/chemical sectors.
I have thirty-five years’ experience in the food production and chemical industries. During this time, I was a multiskilled Maintenance Technician working with a variety team size. I had multiple opportunities for training and development during this time which I found invaluable to both myself and my employer.
Craig McGuigan
Training Officer
I became an Engineering Apprentice with Budenberg Gauge when I left school in 1987. This was my first connection with STEGTA on a Mechanical Manufacturing Apprenticeship. I served my time on manual lathes, then later progressed onto CNC lathes where I also gained a Level 3 NVQ. After changing roles in 2002 I became a Laboratory Technician. I really enjoyed the complexity and quality driven standards of calibration work and continued on this path for 19 years. I joined STEGTA in 2021. I wanted to share my work experiences whilst supporting Engineering Apprentices in reaching their full potential.
Graham Dawber
Training Officer
I am a time served engineer with 10 years’ experience powerplant fitting and testing at Ruston Diesels, including 2 years installation throughout Iraq, across 68 power stations.
I have also worked as a Project and Stress engineer with Lloyds British Testing and have 30 years food industry experience. I was also Principal Engineer on the new factory build for Tulip International, Bromborough.
I have previous teaching experience in food process engineering and vertical farm hydroponics.
In my spare time, I have also obtained a UK Pilots licence achieved through the RAF scholarship scheme.
Duncan Corker
Training Officer
I left school in 1978, and began an Electrician Apprenticeship with a small contractor attending North Trafford College on a day release and qualified in June 1983.
Since then, I have had various jobs in the electrical/mechanical industry, as a Service Engineer, maintenance at the Airport & 4 years self-employed. In 2006, I went to British Gas as an electrician where I was promoted to Safety Assurance Engineer and a qualified supervisor. My duties included ensuring compliance and assessing and training all levels of Electrical Engineers. I retired from there late 2022 and joined STEGTA in Jan 23.
Lee Johnson
Quality Lead
I left school at 16 and followed in the family tradition of gaining a Mechanical Engineering Apprenticeship and in the process an HNC. After 12 years in this role, I applied and was fortunate enough to be offered a position as a Field Service Engineer which enhanced my skill set being trained in not only Mechanical Maintenance but also Electrical. In 2007, I was able to diverse my job role but this time into Apprenticeship training. During this time, I have been a Training Officer, taught the Technical Certificate and now have become one of STEGTA’s lead IQAs.
David Kruup
Mechanical Engineer Lecturer
I am a fully time-served mechanical engineering technician working as part of Bolton Engineering Railway training workshops. I completed the Apprenticeship as part of Shell tankers merchant naval base. I have a BSc in Material Science & Engineering and I have worked extensively as a design engineer working on Inventor and AutoCAD. I have two teaching qualifications in English CELTA and general teaching PGCE. I joined STEGTA in Jan 23 to continue progressing as an instructor in the practical side of the engineering as well as developing academic/classroom lecturing.
Bob Lord
CAD Tutor
I began my Apprenticeship at 16 with Renold/Holroyd Ltd in Milnrow. I held various job positions, which included Milling, Draftsman and EBW Technician, I then became a production Forman. After various roles outside of engineering, I returned to Renold/Holroyd to develop my Worm Gearing knowledge and became the Production Manager of Precision Gears business. After several years of working in industry, I decided to pass on my skills to Engineering Apprentices, I have worked at several training companies and have joined the team at STEGTA in Jan 23 and deliver 3D CAD.
Dianne Tarry
Receptionist/Administrator
I have over 20 years’ experience doing various Customer Service and Administration roles within the car industry, housing associations and Taylor Wimpey.
I started with STEGTA in April 2018 as receptionist/administrator where I provide support for the Office Manager and all the Training Team.
Jacob Hill
Apprentice
I joined STEGTA initially as a summer job in 2022 after completing a BTEC in business. I am currently working towards an Apprenticeship in Accounting.