One of Wales’ largest further education colleges, Gower College Swansea, has appointed Kelly Fountain as its next Principal.
Kelly, former Vice Principal for Academic Services at NPTC Group of Colleges, will take up the position in January 2024.
Kelly will bring more than 20 years’ experience to the role, with a proven track record of strong strategic leadership and management, and a breadth and depth of senior experience in complex and multi-faceted organisations.
As Principal, Kelly will have overall responsibility for the daily operations across the College’s six campuses. Her focus will include the implementation and monitoring of the College’s strategic plan, maintaining high academic standards, enhancing the quality of the student experience, and promoting a culture of well-being for staff and students.
Kelly takes on the role from current Principal Mark Jones, who will continue as the College’s Chief Executive Officer with responsibility for overall strategies, as well as the development of new business and key partnerships.
Kelly’s career in the further education sector spans both England and Wales and is marked by many achievements. Notable among these are her contributions to enhancing the quality of teaching and learning and improving the educational experience for learners, leading on strategic mergers, developing and implementing college wide strategies, and representing the FE sector at prestigious events like the National Adult Learning Conference.
Commenting on her appointment, Kelly said: “I am delighted and excited to be joining the team at Gower College Swansea.
“I am looking forward to working with the team to ensure we continue to be responsive to our local communities, employers and stakeholders – developing current curriculum and providing exceptional learner experiences.
“As a previous student of the College, I am thrilled about being able to return to where my own educational journey started, and I am passionate about ensuring all learners receive the excellent experience that I had as a student.”
Meirion Howells, Chair of Governors at Gower College Swansea said: “We are so pleased to welcome Kelly to the College. Her passion for teaching and learning and her commitment to providing a high quality education experience for all students will be a huge benefit to our organisation.
“We look forward to working with her as she further develops the College to deliver on its mission of inspiring and supporting learners to achieve their full potential.”
Kelly will take up her new role in January 2024.
Gower College Swansea is one of the largest FE colleges in Wales with over 4,500 full time and 8,000 part time learners – including 3,000 apprentices – from across Swansea and neighbouring counties studying each year. The College operates from seven locations and is one of the largest employers in the region with over 1,000 staff and an annual turnover of £60m.