Stella McManus has worked in the further education sectors across Scotland and England for over 18 years.  She is passionate about lifelong learning and the transformational change that education can have on the lives of people at any age and from any background.  Stella joined South Lanarkshire College as Depute Principal, before being appointed to Principal and Chief Executive in April 2023.

Stella began her further education career in 2005, having previously lived and worked in Italy teaching English language.  She is a fully qualified teacher and language specialist with a broad set of classroom practitioner and management skills gained from over 18 years’ experience in a range of educational settings.  Her academic background is in the field of linguistics, having completed her Master’s Degree in Applied Linguistics at King’s College, London.

Providing high quality education and skills are crucial to creating a vibrant future workforce for South Lanarkshire and Scotland, and the college sector is central to supporting that pipeline.  Therefore, she is keen to ensure both young people and adults are equipped with the necessary skills to allow them to be able to meet demands for current and future jobs, creating a talent stream from within South Lanarkshire.