He was previously General Manager of Health Promotion England, a National Health Service communications agency, where he was responsible for setting up and managing the organisation. It continued the public education and campaigns activities of the Health Education Authority which closed in March 2000.

Mr Webb, who began his working life as a teacher in Australia, said today:

'I'm delighted to be joining the TTA to help it build on its successful track record in recruiting trainee teachers. There are many communications opportunities to explore and I'm looking forward to working with the team to develop the programme to its full potential.'

Ralph Tabberer, Chief Executive of the TTA, said:

'Teaching already attracts more graduates than any other profession. But competition is stronger than ever, and we must take every opportunity to demonstrate the rewards it now offers, including improved salaries and career prospects.

'Our recruitment campaign, 'Those who can, teach', has attracted an unprecedented number of people to find out more about teaching as a career. Geof has led successful campaigns in the public and private sectors, and his appointment underlines the importance we attach to ensuring our future marketing and communications initiatives build on our success.'

Mr Webb will lead a team pursuing marketing, advertising, media relations, recruitment events and Internet initiatives in an integrated communications strategy.

Notes to Editors

1. Geof Webb taught music and drama in Melbourne, Australia for two years before moving/returning to England to join The Body Shop International, where he worked in a number of roles training in communications and retail aspects, eventually becoming Head of Global Product Communications. He left to set up his own communications consultancy, before joining the Forster Company in 1996. His work for Health Promotion England has included running major health-related public education campaigns for the Department of Health and Department of Trade and Industry.

2. The recruitment campaign 'Those who can, teach' was launched in October 2000 and by the end of June had attracted 257,000 inquiries about teacher training, compared with 152,719 in the same period in the previous year. In the coming year the Government is funding more than 31,500 places for trainee teachers.

3. The TTA was established under the Education Act 1994. Its purpose is to raise standards in schools by attracting able and committed people into teaching and by improving the quality of teacher training.

4. The Teacher Training Agency is responsible for a wide range of initiatives to promote recruitment to the teaching profession; for funding initial teacher training, which is linked to the quality of the training provision; for further development of the standards for award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), including currently the new QTS Skills Tests for numeracy, literacy and ICT; and working with the New Opportunities Fund for the provision of training in the use of ICT in subject teaching.