We are pleased to announce that Kate Ridley Pepper, Director of Work-Based Skills at the Department for Work and Pensions, will deliver a keynote and Q and A at the Apprenticeships and Training Conference on Day Two.
Kate’s appearance comes at a pivotal moment for the skills system, following the machinery of government changes last year that saw responsibility for several key skills policy areas transfer to the Department for Work and Pensions. In Autumn 2025, Kate moved from the Department for Education to DWP as part of these changes and now leads on work-based skills policy.
In her current role, Kate has responsibility for apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps and the Growth and Skills Levy, placing her at the centre of some of the most significant reforms shaping the future of workforce training and employer investment.
Her keynote will provide a critical update for conference delegates, offering insight into how policy is evolving under the new departmental arrangements and what this means in practice for employers, providers and the wider skills sector. The session will be followed by a live Q&A, giving attendees the opportunity to explore the implications of these changes and the direction of travel for work-based learning.
This keynote will be a must-attend session on Day Two of ATC, offering clarity, context and forward-looking insight at a time of major structural change across skills policy.
