Ayrshire College's Cumnock Campus To Close
Ayrshire College's Cumnock campus looks set to close its doors at the end of semester 1 on 18 January, 2016.
The board has taken the decision based on declining student numbers - there were 229 in 2012/13 but only 23 this term.
The 9 staff will be guaranteed posts at another campus. The College is working with trade union representatives to support staff through this period of change.
We will identify alternative venues for the two courses currently being delivered at the campus, and will work with the Student Association to support our students through the transition to a new location.
The number of students from Cumnock and surrounding areas attending Ayrshire College has increased in each of the past three years. Those students, however, are choosing to study at the College’s main campuses in Ayr and Kilmarnock, but not the campus in Cumnock.
To attract students to the Cumnock Campus, the College ran a targeted marketing campaign, and worked with local partners to generate interest in courses amongst local residents.
The Board of Management met on Wednesday 30 September and concluded, regrettably, that it is not viable for the College to sustain the campus in Cumnock in the current financial environment.
Jackie Galbraith, Vice Principal said:
“The closure of our campus building in Cumnock does not reduce the College’s commitment to people living in the area. We will continue to support the local community through established and new partnerships. Working with partners including JobCentre Plus, the College will continue to run short courses at locations in the area to help people develop employability skills. For example, we have courses running this month at the Boswell Centre in Auchinleck.
“We are also fully committed to working in partnership with East Ayrshire Council to provide further and higher education courses on the new educational campus proposed for the Broomfield site.”
This comes as they also take the decision to close the nurseries at Ayr and Kilwinning Campuses.
The board says they're both running below capacity and aren't financially viable.