Ruth Birch-Hurst

Ruth is Senior Skills and Employability Manager at Medr, the commission responsible for funding and regulating the tertiary education and research sector in Wales. In this role, she works closely with stakeholders to meet priorities in the commissions strategic plan for learners to develop skills and knowledge for a rapidly evolving economy.

With over 35 years of experience spanning both public and private sectors, Ruth began her career as a graduate trainee at an environmental health company headquartered in Caerphilly, progressing to Operations Manager of its training division, where she developed a strong foundation in workforce development, business development and education, an area that would remain central throughout her career.

For the past 14 years, Ruth has worked at Cardiff and Vale College, managing both commercial and funded initiatives. She has worked closely with awarding bodies, employers, and industry groups to deliver bespoke training solutions. Her responsibilities included managing the PLA funded delivery for four years and more recently the CCR Cluster Development and Growth Programme, working with CCR to deliver their Net Zero and Digital skills programme.

Ruth brings an understanding of the education landscape and a commitment to collaboration to bring meaningful outcomes for learners and employers.