Personal Profile

Dr James Cant

I have been with Skill Force for nearly two years now, on secondment from the Ministry of Defence. My Job title is Education Development Director for Scotland. Prior to coming to Skill Force, I had enjoyed a year long secondment with the Scottish Government. My previous three years were spent at Ministry of Defence in Whitehall. Prior to becoming a civil servant, I was a history teacher and taught in a number of schools both in Scotland and abroad. I also obtained a PhD from Glasgow University in Soviet military affairs.

Skill Force now has teams in Stirling, Falkirk, Edinburgh, Moray, North and South Lanarkshire and Trinity Academy in Edinburgh.  Initially, I was responsible for setting up new Skill Force teams in Scottish schools, and spent a lot of my time speaking with head teachers and local authorities about issues surrounding pupil disaffection. Now my remit has widened to Skill Force’s UK (as well as Scottish) policy direction, innovative education programmes, and Government relations with the Scottish Government, the Department for Education and Skills and the Welsh Assembly.

Education Development Director, Skillforce