A COLLEGE is set to welcome two new principles to work in partnership along with another new recruit.

Prospects College of Advanced Technology (ProCat), based in Basildon and Canvey has said goodbye to long-standing former principal Neil Bates.

Mr Bates will be replaced by Ros Parker who will take the post of principal, responsible for teaching and learning at the college known as ProCat which offers a range of vocational courses.

Helen Russell will be the business development director, responsible for new business, recruitment and relations with employers.

Dr Judith Abbott, joining the college next month, will be chief executive and accounting officer, responsible for finance and resources.

Dr Abbott is formerly from Harrow College and is a graduate of Cambridge and Imperial College, London.

She also has 20-years’ experience of working with Ford Motor Company as a manager.

David Sherlock, chair of governors for at the college, said: “We have three highly talented women at the head of ProCat and, between them, they have all the skills and experience needed to make the college a national leader at this critical time.

“The scope of leading a college like ProCat is now beyond the capability of a single person.

“The Board has chosen to make them joint leaders, with their distinct responsibilities fulfilled as a team. This pattern is familiar in industry but innovative in colleges.”

It provides apprenticeships for students coming out of school in technical and professional industries.

The college said it felt it to be a necessity to separate the roles of their principals into different groups so the college could continue to improve.

ProCat was established in 2014.