Meet the Team

Carol joined the team at Derwentside College in March 2024.  With a background in Sales, Business Development and Territory Management across a variety of industry sectors including publishing, manufacturing, membership organisations, and events. 

Carol is passionate about working with employers to upskill and transform businesses through funded training routes.  With a focus on Adult Education, and recruitment, Carol partners and engages with a variety of businesses across the region.

Connect with Carol: carol.makepeace@derwentside.ac.uk

Paula has been at Derwentside College since 2008 and has a wide knowledge of the Education and Training Sector with experience in a number of vocational areas.

Paula’s primary responsibility within the Business Development Team is working within the care sector, having developed strategic partnerships with many different care companies which have been extremely beneficial to their business.  This includes all aspects of care from complex needs, residential care and homecare care.

Paula works closely with employers to help with practical solutions to upskill the care workforce by creating strong and lasting relationships through offering exemplary levels of customer service.

Connect with Paula: paula.bruntlett@derwentside.ac.uk

As an Early Years Practitioner, Julia joined Derwentside College in 2016 with 15 years experience in Further and Higher Education, having taught and assessed students of all ages. 

Julia’s background in Early Years helps her recognise the challenges and identify the support employers need for staff working in childcare settings. 

Working across all areas of childcare, from nursery schools to educational establishments, Julia forges successful partnerships with local authorities’ children’s services teams on behalf of Derwentside College.

Connect with Julia: julia.aktinson@derwentside.ac.uk 

Laura joined Derwentside college in June 2024, after working 8 years at a national independent training provider.  Laura's background is hospitality and following this, ventured into the world of learning and development.  She started her role as a trainer accessor, focusing on Hospitality and Management NVQs and Apprenticeships.

After 2 years as a training accessor, Laura moved into the role of business development, here she support businesses with workforce development, understanding apprenticeships, and the funding guidelines.  She has worked with a variety of organisations and has development commercial and bespoke training needs for employers. 

Laura is very keen to develop our client base, and to continue our high level of customer service with existing clients. 

Connect with Laura: laura.dale@derwentside.ac.uk

Kate joined Derwentside College in January 2025 as a Learner Recruitment Consultant, following over five years’ experience working as a Wedding & Events Executive. In this role, she was responsible for engaging new learners into the college’s adult learning provision, including recruitment academies and online learning, ensuring a smooth and seamless journey from initial enquiry through to enrolment.

Through her strong commitment to building partnerships and identifying opportunities for growth, Kate progressed into the role of Business Development Consultant. In her current position, she leads on employer engagement and the development of new business opportunities to support the continued growth of the college.

Kate works closely with local businesses and key stakeholders to understand workforce needs, promote the college’s training and development offer, and create tailored solutions that add value for both employers and learners.

Connect with Kate: K.Walker@derwentside.ac.uk

Kayleigh joined Derwentside College in January 2025 as Learner Recruitment Consultant, bringing with her 15 years of experience in Retail Management.  During this time, she supported staff training, led new store openings, oversaw recruitment, and successfully managed high-performing teams and stores.

Now working as a Business Development Consultant, Kayleigh focuses on building strong relationships with employers and identifying opportunities to support business growth and workforce development. 

Drawing on her background in learner recruitment, she brings valuable insight into aligning training solutions with both employer and learner needs, helping to create positive and impactful outcomes.

Connect with Kayleigh: K.Wink@derwentside.ac.uk

Bethany joined Derwentside College in 2019 as an apprentice, achieving a Level 3 qualification in Business Administration.  Before joining the college, Bethany worked as a qualified Podiatrist in the NHS.

In her current role, Bethany oversees the recruitment team, which includes two Recruitment/Administration Officers and two Learner Recruitment Consultants.  The team plays a key role in supporting learners across adult education and apprenticeship programmes.