School Partnership Coordinator Ernie Romer officially retired from his popular Forth Valley College role recently and bowed out with a memorable tribute organised by his colleagues.
Well known Motherwell FC fan Ernie, regularly regaled his work-mates with updates and memories about his beloved football team, and his colleagues stepped up to the mark to give him a fitting tribute to see him off – including some MFC branded and claret and amber coloured cupcakes!
A surprised and delighted Ernie (60), who has worked in various roles at FVC for the last 29 years, said: “I started working at Clackmannan College in September 1992 as a Carpentry and Joinery lecturer on a nine week temporary contract and it has turned out to be the longest nine weeks of my life! But I guess the contract has come to an end now.”
Ernie worked as a lecturer for 10 years, before moving to Falkirk College of Further and Higher Education where he continued lecturing until the merger of the two colleges in 2005 and the creation of Forth Valley College. In 2006 he was then asked if he wanted to get involved with an innovative School Partnership project for a one year secondment and there he remained as School Partnership Coordinator, helping to create opportunities for the youth of Forth Valley, until he retired on Thursday 12 August, 2021.
Ernie went on: “I have loved every minute of it, working with wonderful people and wonderful students. I started my working life as an apprentice joiner learning how to build things, then as a lecturer I was building joiners and I ended up building opportunities for senior school pupils who were perhaps unsure of what they wanted to do. It has been challenging, but very rewarding. It used to put such a smile on my face to see some of the pupils we worked with come back to the College as students or just to visit us and to see how well they had done since leaving school. I am really going to miss that.
“The School Colleges Opportunities to Succeed (SCOTS) programme has been the biggest and best thing I have been involved in at the College and I am so proud to have worked on that. When I am old and doddery and SCOTS is still going strong in the Forth Valley area I can smile and say that I was part of that success. With the help of all the Forth Valley Schools we have helped many young people see how learning can get them into work and a successful career.
“I will certainly miss the College and my colleagues. The recent pandemic lockdown and working from home has given me an idea of what it will be like in retirement I suppose, so you could say it has prepared me for this moment. Initially I will miss the interaction with the pupils and with the staff but in a few months we will all only be memories.
“Now I am looking forward to trips home and away to watch Motherwell play hopefully in the future with my wee grandson Jude, more games of golf and more travel adventures with my wife Karen. Thanks for everything FVC, it has been fun.”
Helen Young, Head of Learning and Quality, said: “It’s the end of an era with Ernie retiring and he will be missed by many. We are so grateful for his commitment to school partnership delivery over the years and the legacy he has left. The school partnership is a key area of importance for the College providing so many choices for our young people and building a strong pipeline into our full time provision. I look forward to continuing Ernie’s excellent work with Kim Reid and the rest of the team.”
