Debbie Gardiner MBE
AELP Board member
Debbie is Managing Director of Learn Plus Us (LPU)
Debbie is the Managing Director of Learn Plus Us (LPU), an independent Training Provider based in North London, delivering apprenticeships in Early Years and Residential Childcare, Social Housing and Property, Hospitality and Business Services. Other service offers are employability focussed, including LPU’s specialist ESOL for Work programmes. Debbie has previous held the roles of Chairperson, Interim Commercial Director and Chief Commercial Officer at LPU.
Debbie started her career in T&D at Sainsbury’s in 1990, moving to Qube Learning in 2000 where she held several operational/quality management roles. Debbie was appointed Managing Director in 2006, promoted to CEO in 2010 where she led the company through significant growth and change, retaining an Ofsted GOOD grade 2, Matrix and achieving consistently very high FE Choices employer and learner satisfaction levels. In 2017 she became Executive Chair, before leaving in June 2018 to launch DSG L&M Consultancy Services. Through DSG Debbie provided a range of leadership, governance, oversight, management, and consultancy services, focussing on apprenticeships and FE/Skills. Debbie has often talked about what a privilege it was to be part of several boards in the capacity of NED / governance advisor and to work with such talented and inspirational leaders and senior teams. Debbie ceased trading as DSG in March 2022, having already taken up the CCO role at LPU the previous October.
If you think you recognise the name, it might be because Debbie previously served as an AELP board member from 2013 to 2022, where she sat on three board groups; Finance, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and Quality/Ofsted; and to this day is still part of the Quality/Ofsted group. Additionally she represented AELP as a UCAS Council member.
In her spare time Debbie has the role of Cancer Research UK Campaigns Ambassador for South West Bedfordshire. She also values spending quality time with her family and friends.
Debbie sets high standards and prides herself on being able to represent the views and issues small-medium training providers experience. She has a genuine passion for people development and seeing people reach their full potential.