Meet the team: Maxine Vaughan
Tell us a bit about your role – what do you do and who do you work with?
At iCQ Awards, I take on several roles, all aimed at supporting centres and ensuring high standards in qualifications and assessments. In Business Development, I guide clients from their first enquiry through to full iCQ centre recognition. I work closely with centres, building strong partnerships and helping them deliver excellent learning experiences.
I also act as an Account Manager and External Quality Assurer (EQA), supporting centres with compliance, best practice, and quality standards. As an End-Point Assessor, I work directly with apprentices across different standards, assessing their skills, knowledge, and behaviours to make sure their final assessments reflect their achievements. These roles give me a full view of the sector and let me support both centres and learners effectively.
Tell us a bit about you – when did you start with iCQ Awards, what was your previous experience?
I joined iCQ Awards in 2015 and have really enjoyed being part of a team shaping high-quality work-based learning. Before this, I held senior leadership roles at a national training provider, overseeing operations, quality assurance, and inspections, including regulatory reviews. This gave me experience in programme design, compliance, and creating effective learning environments. My career started in hospitality, events, and sales leadership, which taught me a lot about client engagement, team management, and operational excellence. These are skills I continue to use every day in education and training.
What do you like most about working in the education sector?
Work-based learning is always changing, which keeps things interesting, but the real highlight is seeing learners grow, succeed, and thrive in their careers. Being part of that journey is what makes this work so rewarding.
Tell us about a time or some of your experiences where you have seen the impact that qualifications or apprenticeships have made for individual learners?
End-Point Assessments can be stressful for apprentices, and I enjoy helping them approach them with confidence. Many complete projects as part of their assessment, and it is inspiring to see the difference their work makes, whether improving processes, introducing new ideas, or shaping company culture. Seeing learners grow and make an impact is always the most rewarding part of my role.
