FEATURE
Building futures
Zoe Lewis , principal and CEO of Middlesbrough College , talks to PETER BARRON about her ambitions for “ the best college campus in the country ” to keep on developing …
I t was September 2008 and the first students were enrolling at the £ 68m Middlesbrough College that had been built on the site of Gladstone ’ s famous infant Hercules speech in 1862 .
Zoe Lewis watched with pride as a wideeyed young lad walked into the dazzling , state-ofthe-art building , looked around in wonder , and asked : “ Is this really for us ?”
“ That was the moment the enormity of what we ’ d created really hit home . It was life-changing ,” says Zoe , who ’ d been appointed in 2005 to oversee the merger of four colleges into the development of the new single site campus .
She ’ d seen the post of vice-principal of corporate services advertised , and the responsibilities just happened to include managing one of the most momentous developments in Teesside ’ s recent history .
In many ways , the timing couldn ’ t have been worse . It not only coincided with the global financial crash , but Zoe had her daughters – Mia and Amy – a year apart , while also studying for a master ’ s degree .
“ It was an incredibly intense time , but it was all worth it in the end ,” she laughs .
With the proud new mum having skillfully negotiated her multiple challenges , Middlesbrough ’ s magnificent new further education college was opened on the former industrial wasteland of Middlehaven , with the iconic Transporter Bridge as its backdrop .
“ I came here to run a project but fell in love with the place ,” she recalls . “ I got the FE bug and never left .”
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A promotion to deputy principal followed in 2011 , before she was made principal and chief executive two years later . Now in her ninth year at the helm , the college site has changed a lot from when it first opened . An industrial summit of local employers in 2013 launched a new commitment to meet economic needs through targeted investment and she now describes the campus as “ the best college campus in the country .”
“ It ’ s a community asset , open seven days a week , and we ’ ve come a long way ,” she declares .
And yet , Zoe has always resisted straying far from her roots . She was raised with three brothers on a farm on Huntcliff , at Saltburn . Her dad , Neville Henderson , had agriculture in his blood , while mum , Christine , was a head teacher ’ s daughter .
Zoe inherited a healthy mix of academic ability from her mother ’ s side and a down-to-earth quality from her father ’ s side . She excelled at Warsett School , in Brotton , before starting her A-levels .
It was assumed she ’ d go to university but seeing one of her brothers struggle to get a job after completing a microbiology degree made her think again . Instead , she bombarded employers with letters and chose to start her career with Nat West Bank in Middlesbrough – commencing what would ultimately be a seven-year period of attending night classes , alongside full-time work .
After moving to various roles in local government , Middlesbrough Council outsourced support services and Zoe was made head of finance , but the privatisation move didn ’ t sit comfortably with her values .
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