For parents of teenagers thinking about next steps after school, the new Principal and Chief Executive of Bath College says confidence, employability and pride will be at the heart of the college’s future.
Kevin Hamblin has taken up the role at Bath College with a clear aim – to ensure young people leave education ready for work, with practical skills and belief in themselves.
“When people are at their most vulnerable, that is when leadership really matters.”
Speaking in an interview with Dom Chambers on Somer Valley FM, Kevin shared how his own experience of education shapes his approach, particularly for young people who may feel disengaged or unsure about their future.
Kevin arrives at Bath College at a key moment for further education across Bath and the surrounding area. Although he had planned to retire after a long and successful tenure at SGS College in Bristol, he said the Bath College role offered a renewed sense of purpose.
“Purpose is everything,” he explained. “It was only when we talked about Bath College that I realised this role gave me a new one.”
A major focus for Kevin is rebuilding pride among students and staff. For parents, that means a college where young people feel motivated, supported and valued. “Pride is an underrated emotion,” he said. “Not ego, but purpose. Why do something well? Because you want to be proud of it.” He added, “I want people to walk with me.”
Kevin’s leadership approach is shaped by his own journey through further education. He left school at 16 with no qualifications before joining the Coal Board as an apprentice. It was through day-release and further education that his relationship with learning was rebuilt.
“I didn’t know it at the time,” he said, “but that apprenticeship gave me my first real taste of FE. It gave me the chance to put right what I didn’t do at school.” Reflecting on its impact, he added, “FE saved me.”
That experience gives him a strong understanding of teenagers who may not thrive in traditional academic settings. “The greatest thing you can do is stand alongside someone when they’re vulnerable, when they need help, and help them realise and believe that they can rise up again.”
Kevin is clear that Bath College must prepare young people for employment, not just qualifications. Many students, he noted, are vocational learners who want to move straight into work. “Go back 40 years,” he reflected, “that was me at 15. I didn’t take exams. FE gave me another chance to reinvent myself.”
Under his leadership, Bath College is being reshaped to mirror real workplaces. Plans include micro-enterprises within the college, such as a restaurant run as a real business, alongside facilities for hospitality, beauty therapy and short-term accommodation.
“I want realistic work environments,” he said, “safe places to practise, to make mistakes.”
Kevin also outlined plans to strengthen courses linked to local skills shortages, including construction, engineering, rural industries and creative, digital and performance arts. Partnerships with organisations such as Sound Vision CIO and Somer Valley FM will support confidence-building and pathways into employment.
Looking ahead, Kevin’s ambition is clear. “I don’t want Bath College to be somewhere you just get a qualification,” he said. “I want it to be somewhere you learn how to be employed.”
The full interview with Kevin is available on Somer Valley FM.
