Quality Assurance – Learning & Development Associates

Denise Riddell

IQA Director

Denise has over 35 years’ experience working within the Water Industry, both in operational and technical functions and fully understands the unique pressures and issues that affect the industry. She has held various roles including Learning and Development Manager, contract management and customer services. She has worked to deliver a variety of initiatives, including a range of Water Industry learning and development programmes, efficient customer services processes and procedures and effective management of a range of work management systems. Denise has recently been at the centre of overseeing the updating and revising of a number L&DA’s Level 5 qualifications to align them with current industry practice.

As IQA Director Denise has responsibility for all aspects of the Quality and Operations functions within L&DA and has a direct-report team of assistants and a wider team of Water professionals who are deployed on teaching and assessing and IQA duties. Acting as Account Manager for L&DA’s growing portfolio of clients Denise has overall responsibility for the quality of the companies HE deliverables and the activities of the businesses IQA’s.

Denise holds both Teaching and Assessor qualifications.


Simon Buckingham

IQA

A Water Industry Professional with over 30 years’ experience in a range of roles across operations, customer service and regulatory; of which 20 years were in a variety of senior management positions including: Regional Network Manager, Head of Service Delivery, Head of Metering, Head of Control Centre and Retail Services Delivery, all with a major UK Water Company. In addition, Simon also has extensive programme management experience in leading a number of large, multi-project programmes in the Clean and Waste operational area’s as well as Customer Services and Regulatory. Projects have included Smart Metering, Control Centre development and preparation for Retail Competition.

More recently, he has gained qualifications in Education and Training with a Level 3 Award in Education and Training as well as qualifying as an Assessor with an Advanced Certificate in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievements. He is an experience trainer and assessor. In addition, he is a qualified Internal Quality Assurer


Ian Cassidy

IQA

Ian Cassidy
Ian has over 45 years of industrial experience in the water industry including Water Operations Management on clean water production and water distribution, Senior Managerial experience of Field Service Engineers & Operator maintainer workforces. His experience has enabled him to deliver certified courses on Water Production Processes, plant & equipment to many Water Company Employees throughout the UK.

An outcome-driven individual with confident interpersonal skills, Ian successfully enjoys working closely with both students and employers to enhance their learner’s skills, knowledge and behaviours.

Ian is a fully qualified Level 5 trainer, an Assessor and IQA.


Michelle Hyde

IQA Coordinator

Michelle has a strong administration background, having worked in the professional sector for over 30 years in a wide variety of roles, including Consulting Engineers, Utility Companies and Customer Service Roles.With a keen interest in training and education, Michelle has been a School Governor for over 10 years in both Primary and Secondary education, recently receiving a long service award. Michelle works closely with and supports the IQA Director to assist in overseeing the Quality and Operational aspects of the L&DA business and its wider team of Water Industry professionals.

Michelle has day-to-day oversight of all L&&DA client activities and has built detailed knowledge of the L&DA portfolio, recently supporting the launches of the Level 5 Risk & Resilience, Adaptation to Climate Change and Leading innovation interventions.


Mark Hardman

Information Governance Consultant

Mark HardmanMark is a highly respected information expert, who has been responsible for the implementation of a large number of systems in the UK and across the globe.

Mark’s expertise revolves around the governance and management of data, and in allowing data from multiple sources to be harmonised and be made accessible from multiple reporting perspectives, so that it can make a positive impact on organisational goals and bottom line.


Stephen Board

Wastewater Treatment Specialist

Stephen Board
Steve is a Water Assessor & IQA, highly driven to support peoples’ development and has a background within the scientific, operational and training and development arenas. Active within the bodies responsible for developing Apprenticeships and regulatory qualifications.

Steve has a proven track record in operations management; team leading; asset management; process support; learning and development; and the assessing and quality assurance of development schemes (both internal & regulatory). Steve has joined L&DA in September 2022 as a trainer/assessor and IQA.