King's Lynn has an exciting future, and further education is going to be at the forefront of it.That's the view of the town's new college principal.

King's Lynn has an exciting future, and further education is going to be at the forefront of it.

That's the view of the town's new college principal.

David Pomfret has taken over the helm at the College of West Anglia from Peter Stewart, who retired just before the start of term in September.

Now, after just over a month in post, Mr Pomfret says he is ready to take the college forward alongside, and as part of, the huge regeneration the town is seeing.

And, as well as continuing the work to build a new college campus on the South Lynn Nar Ouse Regeneration Area (Nora) site by 2010 and bring a university campus to town, he hopes to help address a shortage of skilled workers seen across East Anglia.

"It is a big and successful college with aspirations to be more successful, with very grand plans in terms of links to local regeneration.

"And, with the aspirations for King's Lynn, not just the college but with Nora and Palm Paper, it is an exciting time at the moment.

"But a large part of what we are about is up-skilling people who

are already employed," he said.

He added that the college would talk to employers to find out what skills were needed. Also, it was applying for a new national award that would kite-mark its work services to businesses, showing these were responsive to employer's needs.

Mr Pomfret said a lot of work had already being done, but, since his appointment, a new post had been created at the college with a specialist brief of employer engagement to support businesses as they developed their workforces.

He added: "There is excellent provision here, and I would like us to have more.

"I want our whole approach to be on customer service and customer care, with students and employers, and to maintain financial health."

Although born in Bolton, Mr Pomfret spent eight years of his youth in Norwich.

He has worked in a number of colleges, including Boston, and worked for Tribal, a service provider to the public sector, primarily in education.

Before moving into further education he worked as a recruitment training manager in East Anglia for TSB before it became LloydsTSB.

Mr Pomfret lives near Boston, in Lincolnshire, with his wife Tracey, who works in marketing, and five children. He plays tenor saxophone in his spare time.