Oldham College appoints its next Principal and Chief Executive

Oldham College has announced the appointment of its next Principal and Chief Executive.

Simon Jordan, who is currently Deputy Principal at Burnley College, will be taking up his new post at the Rochdale Road campus later this year.

This appointment, following a rigorous recruitment process, was prompted by the decision of the long-serving Alun Francis OBE to take up a new Prinicipal opportunity at the Blackpool and the Fylde College after 13 years in his Oldham role.

Simon will be joining Oldham College at an exciting time as it seeks to complete the wholesale regeneration of its facilities – including plans to relocate University Campus Oldham onto the site.

It will also be working closer than ever with employers, partners and communities to meet the regional skills gap and drive local economic growth.

Jonathan Edwards, Chair of the Corporation, Oldham College, said: “We are delighted to announce Simon Jordan’s appointment as our next Principal and Chief Executive.

“There was stiff competition for this role with a high-quality field of applicants, but it was Simon who ultimately emerged as the standout candidate that we believe is best-equipped for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

“Simon has strong experience and knowledge in the college sector and his understanding of the people and partners that we serve made him the right candidate to take Oldham College to the next level.”

Simon, who is 43, has been a valued member of the Senior Management team at Burnley College since 2012.

His previous roles have included Head of Apprenticeships at Runshaw College, and Senior Team Leader at North Lancs Training Group.

His start date will be confirmed soon.

Simon said: “I am thrilled and proud to have been appointed as Oldham College Principal.

“The achievements and amazing progress made at the college have long impressed me, and the opportunity to join them in this role was one that I could simply not turn down.

“Coming from Burnley College, whose home town has shared many similar challenges to Oldham, I know how important education is in raising aspirations and changing lives.

"There are many opportunities that lie ahead for us to make a real difference, not just to our learners and the college community, but also to our town and its employers.

“There is, very clearly, already a successful and talented team in place and I’m looking forward to meeting them all soon, getting to know them and hearing about the brilliant work that they do as we write the next exciting chapter in Oldham College’s story together.”

Oldham College has attracted around £45 million in recent times to upgrade or replace facilities and create a campus site ranking alongside the best in the Greater Manchester region.

There has also been national recognition and awards acknowledging the calibre of teaching and learning, and its contributions to the local economy and communities.

This year it won the prestigious Beacon Award for its ‘Support for Students’ and is also a finalist in the Pearson National Teaching Awards 2023.

Oldham College was also recently named as a national Centre for Excellence in SEND and is part of the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence.

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