Kevin Murphy, Dundee and Angus College’s Director of Curriculum and Attainment who tragically passed away in January, had his contribution to the college sector celebrated today when he was inducted into the College Development Network (CDN) College Hall of Fame.
Kevin is only the fifth person to receive this award which is being made in recognition of his contribution to the sector and for his long-term role as Chair of the Essential Skills and Volunteering Networks.
Kevin was a product of the college sector, beginning his career as an apprentice painter and decorator with Fife Council and studying at Fife College in the early 1990s. After a spell pursuing his trade, he joined Fife College as a part-time lecturer in painting and decorating before moving to Angus College. He quickly worked his way through the ranks as Course Leader, Curriculum Manager and then Director, enhancing his qualifications along the way by completing his TQFE and a Post-Graduate in Leadership and Management.
A proud ‘tradesman’, Kevin’s natural place was amongst the trades curriculum and he was the driving force behind the Angus Shared Apprenticeship scheme, an innovative social enterprise that supports smaller employers to share the training and development of apprentices between them and increases opportunities for young people in rural communities.
His pioneering work as part of the Tay Cities Deal is now coming to fruition, supporting a multi-million pound investment in precision engineering for the region.
Whilst his heart lay with the trade curriculum, Kevin was also a powerful advocate for the critical role of the Essential Skills in everyone’s learning journey. This was something that he had experienced himself through his own learning journey and was why he championed the need for Essential Skills to be at the heart of college learning in every vocational discipline and at every SCQF level. As the long-term Chair of CDN’s Essential Skills and Volunteering Network, Kevin was committed to improving the profile and uptake of Essential Skills at every opportunity. This was a role he relished and was one that he tackled with his genuine care for others, his never-ending positivity, and his focus on what was in the best interest of all learners.
D&A College Principal, Simon Hewitt, said of the award, “I am hugely proud and so grateful to everyone at CDN for the induction of Kevin Murphy into the CDN College Hall of Fame. Kevin represents the very epitome of what colleges are all about. He lived and breathed FE and was so passionate about the service we provide to our learners, and about their development irrespective of the barriers they faced. Kevin knew how colleges could change lives and strived to ensure that every learner he encountered had the best experience possible. He was a true advertisement for the college sector, a gentle man, a family man and someone who loved a chat and a story. He believed passionately in the role and value of colleges and his sudden and untimely death has robbed the sector of one of its stars.”
Dundee & Angus College
Dundee and Angus College is moving away from traditional thinking and focussing much more on careers not courses. It wants the people of the Dundee and Angus region to be better informed and prepared for the career options available to them, no matter what stage they are at.
