National Apprenticeship Week: Hopwood Hall College principal shares happy memories of starting her career with an apprenticeship

Julia Heap, Hopwood Hall College's Principal and CEO

Julia Heap, the principal and CEO of Hopwood Hall College and University Centre, has shared her happy memories of starting her accountancy career with an apprenticeship at Oldham-based Hill’s Panel Products.

Julia began her journey with a Level 2 apprenticeship more than 25 years ago at the company, which makes and supplies board, doors and fittings for the fitted kitchen and bedroom industry.

After leaving HPP, Julia joined the finance team at Oldham Council. She continued to gain new skills and earned her professional accountancy qualification CIPFA (The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy) from Leeds Beckett University.

Julia said: “I am forever grateful for the opportunities that I have received thanks to my apprenticeship at Hill’s Panel Products.

“The support from my employers coupled with the encouragement of my lecturers meant I was able to thrive as I attained life-changing qualifications in my 20s.

“The experience ultimately marked the beginning of a long journey that would take me into my current position as Principal and CEO at Hopwood Hall College and University Centre.

"I’m thrilled to lead a college that champions adult learning and offers a diverse range of apprenticeship training routes – meaning others can follow in my footsteps and pursue the same opportunities that I enjoyed when I started my career.”

Hopwood Hall, which has campuses in Rochdale and Middleton, has about 7,500 learners and is seen as a beacon for lifelong learning.

To mark National Apprenticeship Week 2023 (6-12 February), the college is holding a special Apprenticeships Open Event on 8 February to connect people of all ages with employers and apprenticeship opportunities.

And Julia is not the only connection between Hopwood Hall and HPP, where the maintenance team is led by Ian Banham, from Rochdale, another former apprentice who joined the Scottfield Road company seven years ago with a Level 3 City & Guilds in Mechanical Engineering from Hopwood Hall in Middleton.

Dan Mounsey, HPP’s Marketing and Business Development Director, says: “Apprenticeships enable us to train young people in a way that works best for the business.

“It’s important to give young people a chance. We are a big employer in the Oldham area, and we see it as our responsibility to give something back to our local community, so we are keen to pursue apprenticeships from that aspect as well.”