We are delighted to announce that our Principal and CEO, Janet Smith, has been named Education Leader of the Year at the East Midlands Leadership Awards.
Organised by TheBusinessDesk.com, a leading regional online business news outlet, the annual awards celebrate outstanding leadership across a wide range of sectors – from Young Leader of the Year and Emerging Entrepreneur to leaders in Property, Finance, HR and Sales. This year, 19 awards were presented to the most exceptional leaders from across the East Midlands.
This year’s judging panel included former award winners Christina Yardley of Rothera Bray, Trevor Palethorpe of John Pye & Sons, and Sukhi Ghuman of FootballSafetyApp.
Janet stood out in her category for her values-driven approach, characterised by authenticity, strategic clarity and an unwavering focus on people.
Since joining the college in 2022, her leadership has transformed the organisation into the UK’s top-ranked FE college for workplace engagement, while strengthening performance across all key metrics. She demonstrates how meaningful, lasting change is achieved through genuine values, a clear strategic direction and a consistent commitment to people, creating a model that inspires the entire further education sector. Janet said:
“I’m incredibly honoured to receive this award. Leading a college of our size is truly a collective effort – from my executive team to our lecturers, support staff and professional services colleagues. I simply couldn’t do what I do without such a dedicated and exceptional team behind me.
“The awards event was a fantastic experience, and it was inspiring to meet so many talented leaders from across our region.”
