Celebrating Vocational Heroes: Kirsty McCluskey

As we build towards the first ever Vocational Celebration Day on 6 August 2026, we’re proud to share the stories of some incredible vocational heroes who have been nominated through EAL’s Celebrating a Vocational Hero campaign. 

From tutors and trainers to mentors and assessors, these individuals are making a lasting impact on learners every day, opening doors, building confidence, and helping shape the skilled workforce the UK needs for the future. Their dedication, encouragement and passion for vocational learning continue to inspire the next generation across engineering, manufacturing, construction and beyond.

Meet our second Vocational Hero

Nominated by her colleague, our next Vocational Hero is Kirsty McCluskey, Project Management Assessor at QA Ltd. Here is why she was nominated:

“Kirsty has led and developed the delivery of meta skills across our programmes. Examples of her impact include the following. The excerpt below is taken from our recent SDS Quality Assurance Thematic Review:

“Apprentices undertaking the Project Management MA deliver an end-of-programme presentation to senior staff within their company. This provides valuable opportunities for individuals to further develop their meta skills, showcasing the projects they have been involved in while highlighting their progress and achievements in the workplace. The presentations also help promote the value of meta skills development and apprenticeship training to senior staff, enabling them to see the wider benefits these bring to their organisation.

"More recently, two of Kirsty’s learners were finalists in our QA Apprentice of the Year Awards, further demonstrating the positive impact of her work and commitment to developing learners’ skills and confidence.”

Celebrating vocational pathways

Vocational Celebration Day was created by Enginuity and EAL to champion the value of vocational education, challenge outdated perceptions, and celebrate the people and pathways driving the UK forward. This story just a snapshot of the extraordinary individuals working across the sector every day. 

As momentum continues to grow ahead of August 2026, we encourage everyone to join the celebration by sharing stories, supporting learners, and recognising the vocational heroes helping others succeed.

Find out more about Vocational Celebration Day Nominate a Vocational Hero