Julie’s career began in 1991 with roles within the Civil Service in managing Jobcentres, Unemployment Benefit Offices and leading procurement of employability contracts such as Job Clubs, Restart Course and Jobsearch Seminars. After 8 years, she moved out of the civil service into working for providers within the employability sector, supporting with programme development, bid submission and business development excelling in building successful tender submissions and creating effective supply chains for Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) contracts such as the Flexible New Deal, New Deal, Work Programme, Restart, and educational initiatives such as OLASS for the Ministry of Justice.
Over the last 30+ years her experience has spanned both employability and skills, having worked with colleges, voluntary sector and some of the largest private sector apprenticeship and skills providers in the UK. Julie’s deep understanding of the integration between employability and skills has been instrumental in her success. Julie has been a Director of the Northern Skills Network for the last 14 years helping to build collaborative employment and skills partnerships across the North and in Cheshire and Warrington where she leads the Cheshire and Warrington Learning Provider Network.
Reflecting on her Fellowship, Julie shared her gratitude and enthusiasm for this significant recognition.
“I am deeply honoured to be acknowledged as a Fellow of the Institute of Employability Professionals, joining the ranks of some of the most esteemed and respected figures in the sector.
“I am particularly passionate about working to continue the integration between employability and skills providers. One of my current areas of interest is supporting the DWP Youth Task Force in joining up services at a local level to help young people transition into meaningful careers, helping them unlock their potential and secure opportunities that provide long-term fulfilment. Reducing NEET rates is a critical part of this work, as it not only improves the futures of individuals but also strengthens communities and the wider economy.
“I am excited to collaborate with Scott Parkin FIEP and the IEP team to champion best practices, encourage partnerships, and advance employability and skills development initiatives that will strengthen the sector as a whole.”
