David Finch, managing executive officer of Fforwm, said that the report Employer Driven, Skills Focused had been commissioned in response to frequent media comments that governing bodies lacked such experience.

It shows that of 382 governors in 23 colleges - Coleg Harlech was exclued because its governing body is differently composed - 190 have business experience. Of these 144 are specifically defined as business members.

The sectors most represented are engineering and manufacturing, finance, law, health and agriculture. There is low representation from information technology, catering and performing arts - and none at all from art and design or hairdressing and beauty.