#IWD2022: Get to know...Lesley Morrey, our Director of Student Engagement and Partnerships

“My role at NSCG of Director of Student Engagement and Partnerships has one main purpose, which is to enhance the overall student journey and experience. I liaise closely with the Student Admissions and Customer Service departments, as well as manage our Student Services Team that provide a wide-range of outstanding support to all of our learners.

“A large part of my role is that I am the Safeguarding and Prevent Lead for NSCG and the various partnerships this brings with it, with the main goal of ensuring that our learners feel safe when on campus and feel supported when in and outside of college.

“I was born and bred in the potteries. I grew-up in Baddeley Green and attended Holden Lane High School, which is now Excel Academy. I really enjoyed school and from a young age I wanted to become a nurse, so when the time came to start college, I enrolled onto a Health & Social Care course at Cauldon College in Hanley.

“Once I’d finished my course, I started my journey of becoming a nurse at a number of different care homes across Stoke-on-Trent and a few years down the line, I became a Care Home Manager. Once I’d reached the peak of my nursing career, I really wanted to help others to get into the extremely rewarding sector of Care and decided to apply for my first role in Further Education (FE) as an Apprenticeship Assessor. After working through the ranks in FE, I joined NSCG in July 2015 as Assistant Principal and I was later promoted to Director of Student Engagement and Partnerships, and, well, the rest is history!

“I can honestly say that I love my job and the thing I love the most is the variety – no two days are the same. I have the pleasure of working with a great leadership and management team and I still have regular contact with learners through the work I complete with partners to ensure they obtain the best possible life chances and thoroughly enjoy their time with us at the College. Although the Student Services Team at NSCG have always provided exceptional support to our learners, I think my biggest achievement to-date is leading the team to receiving an ‘Outstanding’ grading from Ofsted in November 2019.

“When I’m not working or studying, I love spending time with my family and I’m also a member of a local choir.”