Tony Read

Previously employed at the Ministry of Defence for 35 years primarily as a Communications Specialist. Worked on several large computer projects centred around Defence Communications including the first fully automated message handling system at the Defence Communication Centre London. Transferred out of London in 1982 to become Head of Naval Communication Portsmouth with responsibility for the introduction, setting to work and implementation of the Naval Shore Telecommunication Network for that Command. On his return to London he became a senior manager working on special communication projects for the Defence Communication Centre eventually becoming its' Deputy Head and Operations manager with responsibility for the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the Ministries messaging systems. This involved working with other central government departments, commercial organisations and sponsors, as a project team to identify, specify, introduce and set to work replacement systems and upgrades to existing communication systems. More recently he co-authored a major report in collaboration with national training organisations and other agencies which paved the way for the Ministry of Defence to become a major stakeholder in the introduction of the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA)