Tony Ryan - The Design & Technology Association

About this episode

Tony Ryan discusses his journey and strategies for revitalizing the Design and Technology Association.

Gordon Glenister is joined by Tony Ryan, CEO of the Design and Technology Association (DATA), to explore how he has rebuilt and re-energised a membership body by focusing relentlessly on member need and mission. Ryan shares an unconventional career journey—from leaving school at 16 to becoming a car mechanic, then entering teaching and ultimately leading two London comprehensives as a headteacher. Eight years ago, he moved into the association world to champion the subject that first drew him into education. Ryan explains the wider context: design and technology (D&T) evolved from “woodwork” into a design-led, problem-solving discipline, yet suffered significant decline in school take-up—from over 430,000 GCSE entries at its peak to around 79,000 today. Against that backdrop, DATA has grown its membership from 8,700 to 26,000 and returned to financial stability. Key moves included simplifying 31 membership categories into a clearer set, tailoring benefits for primary versus secondary teachers, and shifting recruitment away from “hard sell” towards partnership. He highlights lobbying in Westminster, practical classroom support, and industry collaborations such as…

People in this episode

Host: Gordon Glenister

Guest: Tony Ryan

Topics covered

• membership growth
• education
• design and technology
• association management

Keywords

• member need
• financial stability
• education reform
• lobbying
• industry collaboration

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Samsung

Books & works: GCSE

Places: London, Westminster

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