Milton Keynes College Group governor, Manish Verma, is Head of Digital Online Banking at Santander UK.  An MBA and chartered accountant he has held senior roles across the financial services sector from New York, to Singapore to Japan. , Governor at Milton Keynes College Group

When I did my training in accountancy, I was working and learning, employment and education side-by-side.  That’s one of the things I most like about being a governor at Milton Keynes College Group.  So many of our learners have a similar opportunity, to earn while they learn, and it’s not just about having a salary.  They pick up all those skills around responsibility, collaboration and communication which are so sought after by employers, at the same time as gaining the knowledge and experience they need for a successful work life. 

Throughout my own career, I’ve always been looking forward, and that’s how I see my role at the College Group.  It’s estimated that by 2050, the number of people living in Milton Keynes will have grown from 270,000 (as recorded in the 2021 census) to 410,000.  The population will get younger, and we would expect to see the historic population increase of those from ethnic minorities to continue.  

To serve its people effectively, a public education institution needs to reflect the local population.  Our learners are currently closely representative of our community and we will continue to strive to ensure that that remains the case.  While the changes we’re expecting to see in the number of people from minorities in our city will be significant in the coming decades, we are already planning for that future and recognise it as a crucial part of our responsibilities.  The number of people we educate and train will need to rise in line with this growth.  We need to think carefully about how we can accommodate this population increase and this is something that’s high on the Board’s agenda.    

Our colleagues at Milton Keynes City Council are also looking to the future.  It’s become clear that the city is crying out for a university, and various ideas have been put forward for consideration.  Certainly, education in all its different forms will need to continue to develop our already close relationships to support that growth.  We all have a role to play in providing that talent pipeline local business needs to thrive and expand. 

This might sound like a simple process, but there’s actually a lot to think about and work through with a wide range of stakeholders.  We will continue to adapt our curriculum to meet these growth needs.  Our courses are constantly under review to ensure that we modernise and evolve in line with the requirements of local business and the aspirations of our people.  For example, we are already introducing courses designed to create the talent pipeline in demand by the emerging green industries.  We have a good track record of responding to need, and this agility and adaptability will continue to be a key strength in the future.  Further evidence of that adaptability can be seen with our South Central Institute of Technology (SCIoT).  We took advantage of the opportunity offered by government to build it, winning what was the largest funding grant of its kind, specifically to expand our capabilities to meet that other great call on the talent pipeline, the digital sector.   

The College Group already serves a mixture of cultures and backgrounds, and we know that people from different traditions work and thrive in different ways and environments and we’re proud to be welcoming to all.   

Throughout what will undoubtedly be a period of rapid change, we’re very conscious of being an organisation that is about people.  Education can help people to achieve their dreams, to realise their ambitions, to feel proud of who they are as members of a functioning, constructive society.  The College Group’s guiding principle is Fairer Futures for All.  “All,” is really important.  It doesn’t just mean serving people from different cultures, but different genders, differing neurodiversity, disabilities and abilities.   

Our door is open to everyone and will continue to be so. 

As a city built from scratch, Milton Keynes has always been a great and noble mixture of people from everywhere.  It is our job to make sure the one thing they have in common, is the same level of opportunity. 

To find out more about Governance at Milton Keynes College Group, visit Governance – MK College.