2016-11-25 |
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Changes Ahead for Newton Rigg College
After five years at the helm of Newton Rigg College, Wes Johnson is to step down to take up the role of Principal of Lancaster & Morecambe College.
Wes Johnson joined the college in 2012, following the Penrith-based college's acquisition by Askham Bryan College, becoming Campus Principal, Cumbria and North East in August 2014.
Wes Johnson
Following substantial investment in Newton Rigg by the Yorkshire-based college, and under Wes's leadership, student numbers have grown dramatically from 350 in 2012 to today's figure of around 1,000. Wes will leave Newton Rigg in Spring 2017.
Anthony Alton, Chair of Governors said:
“Wes has played a pivotal
role in making the initial vision for Newton
Rigg a reality and
in particular in re-establishing its reputation at the heart of
agriculture in Cumbria. The college is ideally placed to build
on this as we look to appoint a successor. We wish Wes well as
he embarks on the next stage of his career.”
Over the last five years, improvements to the college include building a state of the art £3m dairy unit at the home farm, updating existing buildings on the main campus including The Frank Parkinson Building which opened in March 2014, a new equestrian centre and work is now nearing completion for a new Sheep Husbandry Centre at the college's hill farm, Low Beckside.
Wes commented:
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Newton Rigg
and in particular seeing the college re-connected with the Cumbrian
farming community so the county now has the educational opportunities
it deserves. It has also been a pleasure to see the subsequent growth
in student numbers, the on-going improvements to the farms and the
establishing of the National
Centre for the Uplands. The support of
a strong team has been very important in helping to make this happen
and I have no doubt that Newton Rigg will continue to go from strength
to strength.”
Lancaster & Morecambe College is a general Further Education college serving Lancaster, Morecambe and the surrounding areas with education and training.
