£90,000-a-year principal sought for new Cumbrian energy college

Tom Little

Published at 13:43, Friday, 18 January 2013

An artist's impression of how the west Cumbria University Technical College will look

The hunt is on to find a principal for Cumbria’s first ever university technology college - with the successful candidate earning up to £90,000 a year to lead the project.

The Energy Coast University Technical College (ECUTC) is due to open in September 2014at Lillyhall, west Cumbria, and organisers want a principal in place this September, giving them a year to prepare for the opening.

The salary package including performance related pay will be up to £90,000, and the successful candidate ‘will have a very big input in the college’s future’.

Beginning the recruitment process to find a principal is a landmark moment in the development of the college.

Rob Rimmer, the programme director for Britain’s Energy Coast Campus said: “It would be great to find someone with experience of both the energy industry and the education sector. The College will be different to any other and will need to be run a bit like a workplace.

“Experience in engineering would be a bonus and obviously this is different to recruiting a normal college principal.

“We want someone who has experience in schools and industry who could get people in the industry involved.”

Mr Rimmer added that local candidates would be welcomed, but said the job will be advertised both locally and nationally to find the best candidate possible.

The £10 million Energy Coast University Technical College will be the first of its kind in the UK to specialise in energy and link to the national sustainability agenda.

It is hoped that students will be able to acquiring knowledge and qualifications specific to the energy sector, as well as giving them the best possible start to a future career in the industry.

The college is aimed at 14 to 19 year olds, and is sponsored local employers and education centres. The school day will run from 8:30am to 5:30pm providing a mix of academic and technical studies.

A consultation process is currently underway about the campus, with a public meeting being held on January 31st at Lakes College, Lillyhall.