Principal of Nelson and Colne College Group appointed as National Leader in Further Education

Nelson and Colne College Group Principal Amanda Melton has been appointed to a national team of 11 FE College leaders to drive developments in the College sector.

The Department for Education role provides mentoring and support to other FE Colleges with an ambition to improve their curriculum, local responsiveness, or financial efficiency.

NLFEs are able to determine the best way to support the particular needs of the colleges they work with and may also draw upon experienced members of their own College staff to help address the needs of under-performing colleges.

Alongside her Principalship of Nelson and Colne College Group – incorporating Nelson and Colne College, Accrington Rossendale College and Lancashire Adult Learning – Amanda is currently a Commissioner for the Four Nations Independent Commission for the College of the Future. The Commission aims to ensure that FE Colleges adapt to meet the future national skills needs of individuals, businesses and communities.

Other voluntary positions that she holds includes as a Director at the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP Champion for Skills and Technical Education), Chair of the Lancashire LEP Skills Advisory Panel, and a Director of the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce.

Amanda said: “I’m pleased to accept this role, as colleges have a fundamental part to play in ensuring we support the economy regionally and nationally, and enable young people and adults to access interesting and well-paid jobs in a rapidly developing job market.

“I’m relishing the opportunity to share the strategies we deploy at Nelson and Colne College Group to improve opportunities nationally, while gaining fresh ideas on where we can strengthen the way we operate locally.

“Most important is the relationship between the worlds of work and education, ensuring that our students leave with relevant knowledge, skills and experiences. We are keen to hear from regional employers who want to get involved in these important developments.”

Nelson and Colne College is the number one FE college in the country for A Levels, based on progress scores. It is also the number one college in Lancashire for student satisfaction, based on the government’s FE Choices survey.

If you would like to apply to study at Nelson and Colne College, contact 01282 440272 or visit www.nelson.ac.uk.