Ashley Wells

Programme Manager - Adult Skills Fund

Ashley joined the Lancashire Skills Hub in March 2025 as Programme Manager for the Adult Skills Fund (ASF), with responsibility for overseeing its devolution.
This devolution is part of a broader government strategy to empower local and regional authorities with greater control over education and skills funding, enabling programmes to be tailored more effectively to local priorities. The overarching aim is to improve employment outcomes, community wellbeing, and economic productivity by aligning adult education more closely with employer needs and regional development plans.

Previously, Ashley held senior roles in the employability and skills sector, including Senior Operations Manager at Reed in Partnership and Supply Chain Manager at G4S. In these roles, Ashley led the delivery of large-scale employment programmes such as the Work and Health Programme, the Work Programme, and Community Work Placements—supporting unemployed individuals, often with complex needs, into sustainable employment.

Earlier in his career, Ashley served as Implementation and Performance Improvement Manager at The Growth Company and worked for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Ashley is passionate about the transformative impact that high-quality employment can have on people’s life chances believing that access to meaningful work, supported by robust and responsive skills provision, is key to unlocking individual potential and driving inclusive economic growth.