Diane Rawlinson has been appointed Principal and Chief Executive of Ayr College.
Diane started her career in education in the primary sector in Leicestershire before moving to Scotland in 1989 where she and her family have remained ever since. Her early days in further education were spent lecturing in Communication and Media Studies at Falkirk College and Lauder College, rising to Senior Lecturer at Falkirk College before moving to Perth College as Assistant Head of Faculty in 2001.
Having spent 11 years in further and higher education colleges, in both rural and urban settings, Diane took the interesting step of applying for an Assistant Principal post at Elmwood College (one of Scotland’s Countryside Colleges in North East Fife) with responsibility for Curriculum, Quality and Information Systems. She spent four years at Elmwood, during this time moving from Assistant to Depute Principal. Amongst other projects, she has participated in collaborative curricular developments with various groups including Scotland’s other two countryside colleges, Fife Schools and the four Further and Higher Education Colleges of Fife.
As a student herself, Diane studied at Dundee University, Loughborough University and Leicester University, moving between Scotland and England.
In recent years Diane has played a part in college reviews, working as an Associate Assessor with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate.
She said: “I believe that Ayr College is Scotland’s best kept secret and consider myself very fortunate in discovering it before word gets out, as it surely will! Ayr has a good quality College with committed professional staff in a beautiful setting. Who wouldn’t want to come?
“These are interesting times in further education and I am delighted to be leading Ayr College through them. The fact that I get to do so on this beautiful coastline, amongst such welcoming people, is the icing on the cake.”
Board Chairman Ian Valentine, welcoming Diane to Ayr College, commented: “I and all Board Members are delighted to have Diane as Principal. Her wealth of experience will be of enormous benefit to staff and students."