Ann Watson

Chief Executive, Semta Group

Bio:

Semta is the engineering skills body, working for and on behalf of employers and creating skilled engineers for the future

Semta ensures that companies in the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector have the skills they need by influencing and advising on government policy, creating national occupational standards, managing and delivering skills programs and qualifications and assessing and certificating apprenticeships.

Having left the University of Teesside with a first class honours degree in business studies, Ann joined Pipeline Induction Heat as marketing assistant. Gaining her Chartered Institute of Marketing postgraduate diploma, she spent her early career in various marketing and communication roles within engineering and training organisations, including Kvaerner and Capitb.

Ann Watson joined the Semta Group in 1998 and carried out various roles for Semta’s awarding organisation EAL, including 8 years as its managing director.

In 2012, Ann was nominated as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in recognition for her work within the education and skills arena.  She has also been a finalist in the IoD Young Director of the Year awards for the Yorkshire region.

In January 2015, Ann Watson took on the role of chief executive of Semta. She said:

“I’m delighted to be an ambassador for the Design and Technology Association. The creative, problem solving and technical skills that design and technology blends stand young people in good stead to become the design engineers of the future. 

“There are exciting employment opportunities available, working in areas as diverse as robotics, home and vehicle automation and biomedical devices – harnessing new technologies to transform our lives for the better.”

www.semta.org.uk