May 2001

APOLOGIES – ACM AWARDS 2001

In the last edition of ACM News the two winners of the ACM Awards 2001 were announced. Unfortunately, it was incorrectly reported that Ray Dowd had won his award for Services to the Association when in fact he had won it for Services to the Sector and to the Association.

As well as being a very committed Past President of ACM, Ray is Principal/Chief Executive of Wirral Metropolitan College. At the time of his appointment the college had debts in excess of £13 million and in February 1999 received one of the worst inspection reports in the country. The new Governors which replaced the old board in February 1999 appointed Ray with effect from 1st May 1999 to assist them in the recovery of Wirral Metropolitan College. In November 2000 the college was reinspected by the FEFC and achieved revised grades from 4 grade 5’s to 4 grade 3’s and 6 grade 4’s to 6 grade 3’s. The progress is unprecedented in the sector/.

Prior to his appointment at Wirral Ray was Principal/Chief Executive at Hopwood Hall College near Manchester. In the four and half years he was there the college became the only institution, at that time, to go from a grade 4 (poor) in quality to grade 1 (outstanding).

Ray had previously gained promotion to the role of Vice/Deputy Principal at Sandwell College of Further & Higher Education, having been Director of Studies at College Glan Hafren, Cardiff and seven years as Chief Executive of Cardiff Group Training Consortium. Before that Ray worked at colleges in Lewisham, Blackpool and The Fylde and Stockport.

Having left school at 15 to serve an apprenticeship, Ray acquired his qualifications as a mature student. Ray is a product of further education and as such is a strong advocate of the sector.

We congratulate Ray again on his achievements and apologise for any misunderstanding.