Nelson and Colne College Group (NCCG) are delighted to welcome Lisa O’Loughlin to the helm, as Principal and CEO. Joining the College Group from The Manchester College and LTE Group, Lisa brings a wealth of experience across the Further Education Sector and will ensure that Nelson and Colne College Group continues to be at the forefront of high-quality education across the country.

Upon starting her new role Lisa says:

“I am delighted to be here at Nelson and Colne College Group and cannot wait to get started on ensuring that the only Outstanding College in Lancashire continues to go from strength to strength. Following on from the great work that the team have done prior to my joining I intend to work with our excellent teaching and support teams to further strengthen the high-quality academic education available to young people and adults across the region. I will also work with cross-college teams to extend the aspirational career routes available to all through further developing technical education and employer partnerships and really highlight why Nelson and Colne College, Accrington and Rossendale College and Lancashire Adult learning are truly the very best places to be to secure your future, whatever that may be.”

Lisa’s experience includes developing a college strategy and operational plan to increase learner achievement by more than 10% as well as increasing learner satisfaction. She has also guided the college to deliver an ambitious and award-winning curriculum strategy and undertaken significant campus redevelopment. The curriculum strategy, centred around employer co-creation, saw students achieve ambitious career goals, in organisations like Wilmott Dixon, Lloyds Bank and The Fox Corporation as well as ensuring students wanting to go to University secured places at Oxbridge and Russell Group Universities., Alongside her role at The Manchester College Lisa worked closely with Greater Manchester Combined Authority supporting the development of the regional skills strategy in her role as Chair of Greater Manchester College’s Group. It is expertise like this that will be at the heart of all developments that lay ahead for Nelson and Colne College Group.

Having previously worked in East Lancashire, as Deputy Principal of Blackburn College between 2007 and 2013, Lisa is no stranger to the area and is dedicated to ensuring that all learners, at all levels and all ages, are able to access only the very best skills and experience throughout their education.

One of Lisa’s immediate goals is to undertake a strategic review, which will rely upon meaningful discussions with local employers, school leaders and key partners to understand their own goals and ambitions and where NCCG can work alongside them to help achieve these, alongside student, parent and staff interactions.

Chair of Governors for Nelson and Colne College Group, Phil Wilkinson, says of Lisa’s arrival:

“I am delighted that Lisa has now joined us as Principal and CEO of Nelson and Colne College Group and am supremely confident that she is the perfect individual to help shape our outstanding organisation through our next phase, further strengthening our college group and extending the reach of our extraordinary education experience across East Lancashire and beyond.”

Nelson and Colne College Group’s plans to develop an Advanced Digital Skills Academy have been given the seal of approval from Pendle Borough Council.

The £2.29m investment proposal to help tackle Lancashire’s digital skills shortfall has now been sent to the Government to request the green light to release the funding.

The Academy is one of eight projects in the Nelson Town Deal designed to promote sustainable growth, transform the town and provide new opportunities for local people through the £25 million New Towns Fund investment.

Its aim is to integrate world-class teaching, innovation, and business acumen at Nelson and Colne College and create a new town centre learning spoke for digital skills.

Fionnuala Swann, Nelson and Colne College Campus Centre Principal, said: “This project demonstrates the strength of partnerships forged through the Nelson Town Deal and of our shared commitment to upskilling our communities and retaining talent.

“If successful throughout this next phase, the funding will be used to create a college hub for the project, refurbishing parts of the existing college building to create over 100 new teaching spaces with access to state-of-the-art equipment.

“This redevelopment will create a new learning environment to support the delivery of our digital T-Level courses, alongside our wider digital curriculum.

“It will provide access to facilities for all learners wanting to improve their digital skills and there will be 200 high-spec PCs in the Academy.”

Alongside the college hub, a town centre spoke will also be developed, focussing on digital skills for adult learners.

Upskilling and retraining opportunities will be offered at a range of levels from beginners to support improving employability chances, through to higher level courses designed to meet the specific digital skills demands of regional employers.

The spoke element will also include a business space to facilitate interaction between learners and employers as well as a business workspace for start-up businesses.

Stephen Barnes, chair of the Nelson Town Deal Board said: “As the college campus is located outside the town centre, a key objective of the hub and the town centre spoke is to work in tandem, creating a strong connection between the college and the centre of Nelson.

“The new Advanced Digital Skills Academy is also designed to establish a link between local employers and learners as well as supporting a more vibrant town centre.

 “Learners and participating businesses will get enormous benefit from this project which will also help to rejuvenate the town centre with increased footfall to support the businesses there.”