Richard Clewley
Senior Delivery Manager - Higher Level Skills, West Midlands Combined Authority
Dr Richard Clewley is Lead for Higher Level Skills at the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). He has played a key role in embedding employer-led occupational standards across emerging sectors like clean energy and life sciences and has collaborated with employers to co-design skills frameworks and future‑facing qualifications, ensuring technical education remains responsive to evolving labour market needs.
Richard recently served as a Senior Policy Advisor at Skills England/IfATE where he led on implementing Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) – and working with the WMCA to co-design the new MedTech qualification as part of the skills for growth agenda.
He holds a PhD in flight safety and his early career includes research on pilot decision-making in complex environments, worldwide flying and delivering pilot and cabin crew safety training. He is a chartered psychologist and is interested in safety, transversal cognitive skills and organisational behaviour.
