The Fellowship of SQA

The Fellowship of SQA is our highest award and is presented this year to two individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to education and training in Scotland. These awards were presented by SQA Chairman John McCormick.

Bill Gold MBE

Bill Gold was educated at Wishaw High School and Strathclyde University. Following a career in England he returned to Scotland in 1981 to establish the NEC Semiconductor facility in West Lothian, where he was HR Manager. During this time he worked closely with SCOTVEC to establish comparative standards for education and skills between Scotland and Japan. Bill organised many Royal and VIP visits to the NEC factory.

He has participated in many SQA industry advisory groups and committees across the engineering, science and mathematics sectors. Bill has also chaired joint developments of semiconductor qualifications in the Higher National and SVQ families, with a range of bodies including Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Electronics Forum. Bill has been involved with West Lothian College for over 15 years, including 10 years as Chairman of the Board of Management. His period of office saw the college relocate to a new purpose-built campus.

He has also been a member of the Scottish FE Funding Council, and until recently was a member of SQA’s Advisory Council.

Linda McKay MBE

Educated at Aberdeen High School for Girls, Linda McKay graduated with an Honours Degree in French Studies from Aberdeen University. After employment in tourism and the health service she entered Further Education in 1976 and was awarded the FE Teaching Qualification with Distinction in 1981.

Linda McKay began her career at Moray College in Elgin teaching Languages, and went on to become Assistant Principal at Dundee College. She was then Depute Principal at Glenrothes College for six years until taking up her appointment as Principal at Falkirk College in 1999. After the merger of Clackmannan College and Falkirk College, she became Principal of the new Forth Valley College, which is the fifth largest college in Scotland.

Linda McKay has been a Member of the Board of Governors of the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan and of the Police Advisory Board for Scotland. She was awarded the MBE in 2000 for services to the Police.

She has recently resigned office as a Board member of the SQA where she chaired the Qualifications Committee and was first Chair of the SQA Advisory Council. Linda is also a member of the SFC Skills Committee and a member of the Leadership Group for Chemical Sciences Scotland.