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Meet the Team: Business Development Manager Cliff Pooley

Cliff Pooley talks about the latest trends in construction training and green skills.

Our first ‘Meet the Team’ profile of 2025 puts the spotlight on another of NOCN Group's talented Business Development Managers, working with Colleges, training providers and employers across the UK and internationally to enable them to benefit from the future-fit skills solutions we offer.


They are experts in our specialist areas where skills advancement is needed most: preparation for life & work; construction & the built environment; engineering, manufacturing & the green economy; health & social care; and education & management.


We sat down with our Business Development Manager in the East of England including East & North London, Cliff Pooley, an expert in the construction sector, supporting NOCN Group’s mission to bridge essential skills gaps, contributing to the creation of a safer, more productive and highly skilled construction workforce which supports economic growth and social mobility.


Tell us about your role at NOCN Group - what does a typical day look like?

I spend my days meeting with existing, new and potential Colleges, Employers and training providers who are interested in finding out more about how NOCN Group can work with them to support their priorities with our future-fit skills solutions.


Construction is a specialism for you, as well as NOCN Group overall, what's new/important when it comes to education and skills in the Construction sector? How does NOCN Group support?


There has been a huge amount of change in the construction sector in recent years with an ever-growing focus on health & safety (especially following things like the Grenfell disaster) and an urgent need to retrofit existing buildings while implementing new energy efficiency technologies into new buildings, as part of the transition to a Net Zero economy.


It’s my role as a skills solutions provider to help our customers keep on top of the latest trends (by attending regional and national events including those run by the likes of the British Association of Construction Heads) and then tailor our innovative, future-fit solutions to their needs. As an international charity, we can also bring lots of best practice insights from countries like India and regions like The Gulf. With green skills at the top of the agenda, this has been a huge area of focus for us and we are proud to be one of the leading green skills providers globally.


Tell us a bit more about NOCN Group's relationship with the Green Skills Advisory Panel (GSAP) - what are the benefits of that partnership?


NOCN Group is one of the construction sector’s biggest Awarding and Assessment Organisations in the UK and internationally. We work closely with regulators, industry bodies, employers, Colleges and training providers to design and offer a wide range of skills solutions that are tailored to meet the ever-evolving needs of this vital sector.


Our relationship with GSAP, the group dedicated to advancing sustainable training and educational opportunities within the housing and construction sectors, is an important part of this. By collaborating with NOCN Group, industry understands that we work in collaboration with them to make sure our Qualifications, Assured Courses and Online Short Courses are in line with their primary objective to address and close the green skills gap across the UK, building a well-trained workforce that can meet industry demands.


Why do you think the customers you work with in your region choose NOCN Group?


First and foremost, they know they can expect a level of service that will provide a solution that’s right first time, every time, as well as being on time. Having built up a number of relationships within all areas of the industry in my 17 years of construction focused education, they understand my passion to deliver the best service possible. Knowing that, as a charity, we are driven by social and not just commercial aims means they know we have their best interests – and the wider interests of their stakeholders and society at large - at heart.


What challenges do those customers face and how do you support them to overcome those challenges?


Changes to Qualification content, the need for tutors, Assessors, IQA’s, and the need to gain approval quickly when their customer gives a short timeframe are all challenges that our College and training provider Centres face. I have been able to broker introductions between potential staff and Centres and received positive feedback as to how this has been successful.


Another example involved me liaising with my colleagues in onboarding, quality assurance, and EQA when a customer contacted me to ask the possibility of gaining approval for a qualification or course at very short notice. When this happened on a Friday afternoon, I worked with the team to make this happen within one hour – much to the delight of the Centre as they had learners starting on the following Monday!


What's it like being a part of the NOCN Group team?


I like the idea of belonging to an established and expert team that has longevity and an exciting past, present and future. The knowledge that the whole team brings whether that’s my immediate business development colleagues or the rest of the organisation, is extensive, offering a wealth of experience across a number of sectors where skills advancement is needed most.


Everyone is always willing to share this knowledge and help contribute to not only a positive working environment but also demonstrating to the customer that our commitment to customer service isn’t just lip service!