The Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Hopwood Hall College has been named in the King’s New Year Honours List, recognising her long-standing contribution to education in Rochdale and across Greater Manchester.
Julia Heap, who has led Hopwood Hall since 2019, has been awarded an OBE for services to Further Education. She is one of 97 individuals in the North West recognised in the 2026 New Year Honours list.
Ms Heap has played a leading role in expanding access to skills and technical training, particularly in digital, construction, and health care sectors. Her efforts have helped transform Hopwood Hall into a nationally recognised institution for vocational education.
Originally beginning her career as a 22-year-old apprentice in Oldham, Ms Heap has spent more than 30 years championing lifelong learning. Her work has been credited with improving employment outcomes for thousands of students, from school-leavers to adult learners returning to study.
Under her leadership, the college has delivered major investment projects including an £11 million expansion of its Advanced Technology and Construction Centre at the Middleton campus. Plans are also under way to develop a dedicated Higher Education hub at the Rochdale campus, expanding university-level opportunities for local learners.
Ms Heap’s leadership was further recognised in 2024 when the college received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its trauma-informed approach to widening participation.
Beyond her role at the college, she sits on several high-level regional boards, including the Rochdale Development Agency and the Construction Industry Training Board. She also co-chairs the Innovation and Skills Advisory Group at Atom Valley’s Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre.
Last month, she joined Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Hopwood Hall’s T Level students to break ground on the new Atom Valley hub, a major project set to create thousands of skilled jobs.
Reflecting on the honour, Ms Heap said:
“I am truly humbled to receive this honour, which is thanks to the unwavering support I receive from a community of staff who can always be relied upon to go above and beyond for our students at Hopwood Hall College.
“Undoubtedly, education has the power to change lives; it changed mine as an adult apprentice – and for that I’ll always be a passionate advocate for the transformative impact of gaining new skills at any stage of life.”
Gary Buxton MBE, Chair of the Corporation at Hopwood Hall, said:
“Julia’s values shine through in the work that she does every day and her own story embodies the spirit of aspiration. She leads with humility and a sense of service, which brings people together through education and inclusion.”
Ms Heap, who turned 52 on the day her honour was announced, lives in Greater Manchester with her husband Brian and is mother to three sons, Niall, Liam and Owen. She recently became a grandmother for the first time.
Nationally, 1,157 people were recognised in the Honours List for their services to public life, including 101-year-old Bernard Morgan, for contributions to volunteering and history, and Tara Jones, for her work in Rugby League.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the list “celebrates the very best of Britain”, praising recipients for “putting the common good ahead of themselves to strengthen communities and change lives”.
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