Doncaster College announces new Principal

 

L-R: Rob Wilmot, George Trow and John Taylor

Doncaster College has today announced that George Trow - currently Principal and Chief Executive of Rotherham College of Arts and Technology - will take up the post of Principal on 10 May.

George Trow joined Rotherham College of Arts and Technology in 2002 as Deputy Principal and was appointed Principal in 2005. He played a key role in the turnaround of the college from a £2.2 million deficit to excellent financial health and a turnover of £24 million. 

Born in Yorkshire, George studied at Scarborough Technical College after leaving school and went onto work in London and Bermuda. At the age of twenty six, George completed a full time Certificate in Education which led to his career in further education where he says he has been ‘employed at every possible grade in the career ladder from Lecturer to Principal’.

George has recently been awarded a Fellowship of City and Guilds for his services to further and higher education and also Fellowship of the Institute of Leadership and Management. He is a member of the Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Committee and takes part in the appointment of Magistrates.

Acknowledging that Doncaster College Governors and staff have been through difficult times, George says that he is really pleased to have been selected to lead the college. He said: “The staff commitment to learners’ lives and their support has been evident in the past years and I am looking forward to working with this very professional team to secure the future of the college.

“The residents of Doncaster rely on the college to raise aspirations and enable them to be successful, this will be our continued focus. We will also continue our commitment to all of the learners who come to the college for high quality higher education, working with employers to meet their needs in a fast changing employment market.”

Welcoming George Trow’s appointment, Chair of Governors Rob Wilmot said: “George has a strong track record from his time at Rotherham, not just in effecting significant change but also in his role in its growth and performance.

“George has a good understanding of the key challenges ahead of Doncaster College and a good understanding of the needs of the region.”

George Trow will be taking over from John Taylor who was appointed as Interim Principal last summer with the brief of establishing a more robust foundation from which the college could grow.  As Principal from 2000 to 2008, John Taylor led The Sheffield College out of financial crisis to a first-class Ofsted inspection and record exam results.

John believes that George is an excellent choice as the head of Doncaster College. He commented: “George has an impressive record of success in further education in South Yorkshire. He is a knowledgeable and accomplished leader who understands the particular challenges of the county.”

Over the last seven months, John has worked closely with the College’s board to implement a recovery plan. John added: “The foundation for Doncaster College’s recovery plan was to restructure the organisation in order to make the savings and business efficiencies necessary to secure a full recovery and, vitally, the future of the college. 

“That project has been successfully completed and, under George Trow’s leadership, Doncaster College is in a position to grow and become an efficient and sustainable institution offering a great student experience.”

Updated 16/02/2010