Meet the Team
Ben Pountney
Head of Business Solutions and Apprenticeships
I am delighted to have been appointed as Head of Business Solutions and Apprenticeships. I have worked at South Devon College for 5 years as first the Operations Manager for Apprenticeships and subsequently the Head of Apprenticeships. In that time I have made many employer connections and gained a deep understanding of the needs of local businesses, both in relation to training and skills development.
I believe it is important to foster strong connections between the education sector and the business world and am excited to continue the excellent work the college has been doing in this area whether that is out in our local community or by inviting you in to see the college and its amazing facilities.
Outside of work I enjoy a busy family life with my wife and three children. Further to this I enjoy a challenge and even ran the London Marathon in 2023 and enjoy taking part in Hyrox! Not content with that, I have also just completed a Leadership and Management apprenticeship which has expanded my own knowledge and experienced the process for myself.
Mike Laukkanen
Business Development Lead
I joined South Devon College in November 2020, having previously enjoyed a successful 20-year career in Advertising, Sales & Marketing with Reach PLC.
I have always had a passion for building long-standing and successful business relationships, while adapting and developing business solutions to employers needs with clear and decisive communication.
I love working in a fast paced, ever-changing landscape, acting as an ambassador for the College within the business community and underpinning our core values of providing a learning culture that promotes Ambition, Inclusivity and Respectfulness.
Outside of work, I am the proud parent of 3 wonderful young children and when I do get some spare time, I enjoy playing Tennis, exploring our naturally inspiring coastline, watching and attending sporting events.
Gareth Parsons
Business Development Lead
As Business Development Lead for South Devon College, I am empowered to help local, regional, and national businesses devise and deliver high-quality, commercially relevant skills for their workforce.
I’m passionate about the positive impact that well-designed, employer-led training and education can have on the wider community. As Business Development Lead for South Devon College, I am empowered to help local, regional, and national businesses devise and deliver high-quality, commercially relevant skills for their workforce.
When I’m not promoting the value of skills, training, and education, I can often be found cooking up a storm at my home in Totnes or enjoying the beauty of the South Devon Countryside with my wife Holly, son Tobin and Golden Retriever Ralph.
Jessica Webber
Business Development Lead
I joined the fantastic South Devon College Business Solutions Team as a Business Development Lead in 2024. My career to date has been wide and varied from being a qualified chef, running my own business to gaining an Honours degree in Business and Diploma in Education and Training and working within the education sector since 2014 in various roles both sides of the fence. With a proven track record in all aspects of team leadership, customer service, education and sales, I have a strong commitment to fulfilling stakeholder needs. I enjoy being in the thick of industry sectors, building relationships and providing the best possible outcomes.
As a Business Lead in the Business Solutions Team, I support larger organisations, businesses and sole traders, predominantly in the Hospitality and Catering, Health and Social Care, Initial Teacher Education and Child and Young People sectors, not only in the Southwest but also across regions that extend far beyond.
I am delighted to be part of such a forward thinking, innovative College and Team. Having worked further afield for the last 6 years of my career it was important to me to come back to my roots and support our local communities and industries. Apprenticeships provide a vital bridge for our workforces and can offer existing staff with the opportunity to upskill and, if desired, support towards career progression, as well as those new to industry the opportunity to gain real-world experience whilst achieving qualifications.
We also provide an impressive range of tailored training solutions to meet the needs of your organisation. Whether you require a concise half-day course or an extensive training program, we have a wide array of courses to support the growth of your company, with bespoke and hybrid training solutions available.
I very much look forward to building connections and supporting our industries and generations of workforces to reach their potentials and shape positive outcomes.
Colette Dalton
Senior Sales Coordinator
I joined South Devon College in 2022 as an Apprentice Recruitment Coordinator and was previously a tutor in adult education, teaching self-employment courses.
As a Senior Sales Coordinator in the Business Solutions Team, I support small medium enterprises within the Marine, Construction and Sports Sectors. I can help source or advise businesses with Apprenticeships, up-skilling the workforce, bespoke training packages and sponsorship opportunities.
I am looking forward to building positive business relationships and connecting with people who would like to work in partnership with South Devon College. My focus is to find solutions on how we can develop skills sets within our local community, to develop and build our local economy and support people to understand the opportunities available within education.
John Currie
Senior Sales Coordinator
I joined South Devon College in October 2022 as a Placement & Work Experience Coordinator forging links with college staff and employers, transferring those skills to my current role as a Senior Sales Coordinator in February 2024. I have over 25 years customer service experience in several industries including hospitality & catering, engineering, automotive and aerospace.
As a Senior Sales Coordinator in the Business Solutions Team, I support small medium businesses within hospitality, catering, health and nursing, Children and young people industries. I am dedicated to building and nurturing strong relationships with both existing and new employers to identify and address organisational training needs. By aligning these needs with the courses and apprenticeships offered by the college, I aim to create meaningful, results-based learning experiences. I find immense satisfaction in hearing the success stories from our employers and learners, knowing that we’ve played a role in supporting and showcasing their talents through these opportunities. Together we can help champion apprenticeships, a fantastic opportunity for anyone considering their next steps.
Caroline Field
Senior Sales Coordinator
I joined the college in 2021 as a Partnership Coordinator engaging with employers, providing them with apprenticeship programme information to enrolling the apprentices and following their journey by conducting reviews. I also have a 10-year background in sales, marketing and graphic design.
As a Senior Sales Coordinator in the Business Solutions Team, I support small to medium businesses within digital media, computing and the business and professional sectors.
Apprenticeships and training programmes bring such transformative benefits to the individuals, businesses and community involved – which I find so rewarding to be a part of! It’s about empowering people and strengthening businesses through the power of upskilling and gaining those vital knowledge and behaviours that are needed to succeed.
I love being part of a college that supports young people to find employment and important training which supports businesses to continue to grow and innovate long into the future.
I love being able to source or advise businesses with apprenticeships, upskilling the workforce, bespoke training packages, sponsorship opportunities and supporting with networking events.
In my spare time I enjoy being out and about enjoying the outdoors with my husband, two year old son and my labrador Shelby. I am a huge film and music enthusiast and if I am not at home, you can find me sat back watching the big screen at a local cinema.
Johanna Pettett
Work Experience and Placement Lead
Having worked in education as a teacher for many years I joined South Devon College in January 2021 to work on developing and sourcing T Level industry placements. My new lead role also includes organising and implementing work experience across college, and managing the work experience coordinators.
I believe that young people should be encouraged to close the gap between college and employment by actively seeking and applying for industry placements or work experience. I can assist with work readiness and employability skills development for learners and have collaboratively developed teaching resources for this purpose.
Also, I provide support and training for work experience coordinators and tutors for using the Navigate program so learners and employers can digitally record attendance, work activities and references. This empowers the learners to reference their experiences and employer feedback when applying for future employment.
I enjoy the challenge of creating, implementing and reviewing new processes and ideas across college. Outside work I am a keen kayaker, paddle boarder, mountain biker and family rambler.
Sam Eustice
Work Experience and Placement Coordinator
My role as a Work Experience and Placement Coordinator within the Business Solutions Team, works collaboratively with employers, students and college staff, to coordinate suitable industry placements (T-Levels) and work experience for our students who are on full time study programmes.
I have always taken pride in building and maintaining positive working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders and look forward to developing those within industry placements and existing work-based learning opportunities that currently exist, including study programme work experience, traineeships and apprenticeships
I joined the South Devon College team in 2023, having been a teacher and worked within education for many years, I’m looking forward to developing relationships using my skills and knowledge in my role at South Devon College.
Outside of work, I enjoy various crafts, gardening, walking on our beautiful beaches and Dartmoor.
