Bill Watkin CBE, CEO of the Sixth Form Colleges Association - "How I work with 150 colleges"
Episode 41: Bill Watkin CBE, CEO of the Sixth Form Colleges Association - "How I work with 150 colleges"
Next up on Heads & Tales is Bill Watkin CBE. After cutting his teeth as a foreign language teacher in some of the country's most challenging schools, Bill now oversees the education of over half a million 16 to 19-year-olds as CEO of the Sixth Form Colleges Association. Earlier this year, in a car packed with relatives and some other obscure objects (tune in for the full story), he arrived at Windsor Castle to be awarded a CBE for the resounding impact he's had on the education of young people across the country.
🎙️ Episode highlights
A trio of mentors that helped him go from language teacher to educational heavyweight
His early teaching job so tough that he was paid "danger money"
His upbringing in a very traditional educational setting, forced to read Latin texts at a young age
Bill's thoughts on teaching as a profession on what motivates the next generation
He discusses the pros and cons of the much-hyped "nine-day fortnight" to incentivise teachers
A hilarious anecdote from when he received his CBE from the King
Does he think British universities still hold their appeal and are they worth the debt?
As a teacher, he vouches for creativity and diversifying your skillset