Qube boss awarded MBE

Debbie Gardiner, executive chairman of training provider Qube Learning, has been recognised in the 2018 New Year’s Honours list for her work in the FE and charity sector.

Debbie, who has over 17 years of leadership and management experience in further education, is passionate about providing high quality training for apprentices, trainees and employers and has been awarded an MBE for services to apprenticeships and charities.

First appointed as MD of Qube Learning in 2006, Debbie was promoted to CEO in 2010 and in December 2017 was announced as executive chairman. Since joining the provider, Debbie has played a pivotal role in the growth of the business, increasing revenue and driving performance, whilst creating a family feel within the company based on a set of core values.

Qube Learning’s mission is to ‘inspire the future’ and Debbie is passionate about offering development opportunities to help people reach their full potential. Her vision and leadership has been crucial to the success of Qube’s traineeship programme which has seen a steady escalation over the past three years, and made a substantial difference to the lives of individuals who may never have had a job before.

Speaking about the incredible recognition, Debbie said, ‘To be awarded an MBE is a great honour and one which I’m so delighted to receive. Working within this sector is very important to me, I’m a firm believer in giving people a chance, providing them with the support, guidance and training they need to have the best chance of success. This honour is a credible acknowledgment of not only the work I have done, but also the momentous effort Qube Learning have put in too.’

Alongside her role at Qube, Debbie spends much of her personal time undertaking voluntary roles for charity. She is a Cancer Research campaigns ambassador for south west Bedfordshire and helps fundraise and raise awareness on the organisation’s political campaigns to improve survival rates. Additionally, she is part of the patient and public involvement group at the Oxfordshire Universities Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Debbie also holds a voluntary role on the Board of Directors for the Association of Employer and Learning Providers (AELP). She chairs the subcontractor working group and attends several other AELP parties; all of which is about shining a light on the education division and supporting AELP to increase stakeholders’ knowledge, understanding and awareness, and make further improvements.

Debbie added, ‘Qube works a lot within the health and social care sector, and it gives me a deeper understanding of the impact that illness can have on someone’s life. I hope that through my efforts with the charities that I can continue to aid many through difficult and challenging times.’

Mark Dawe, chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, said, ‘Debbie Gardiner is a strong and very constructive presence on the board of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers. Her passion to make a difference for the lives of young people is very apparent. Not only does this get expressed through her desire to see apprenticeships grow but she really wants traineeships to succeed for those in our society that need the most support. Debbie’s advice on quality improvement issues is also invaluable. AELP is therefore delighted that she has been recognised in the New Year’s Honours.’