Julie Stone

Workforce Lead

Julie Stone is a highly respected Higher Education consultant with over 30 years of experience leading transformational change across digital learning, workforce development, and strategic education delivery. Known for her pioneering work in online and blended education, Julie has worked with both Russell Group and post-1992 universities, as well as sectors including adult social care and cyber security.

As Director of Online Learning at the University of Derby, Julie scaled its digital provision into one of the UK’s leading online learning platforms, reaching over 130,000 CPD learners and 6,000 graduates annually. Her leadership also extended internationally, shaping high-impact franchise partnerships and expanding access to UK higher education across global markets.

In her role as Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (External Affairs), Julie led university-wide strategies in business engagement, apprenticeships, CPD, and blended learning transformation. She worked closely with major employers—including Rolls-Royce, Toyota, and Bombardier—to co-create work-based learning programmes, delivering over 2,000 apprenticeships and advancing institutional impact in skills and workforce development. Julie was also a former Advisory Board Member for the British Educational Training and Technology (BETT) Show.

Julie is currently collaborating with TSA (Technology Enabled Care) to enhance sector-wide learning strategies, focusing on immersive technologies and next-generation workforce capability. She also contributes to the University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC) through its Quality Knowledge Network, advising institutions on degree apprenticeship quality and compliance.