SOUTH West College Chief Executive Malachy McAleer is stepping down at the end of the academic year after eight years in the post due to his “advancing years.”
Mr. McAleer said he made the “difficult” decision after reflecting on the future of the college, which has a campus in Enniskillen, and his own personal circumstances. 
In an e-mail sent to staff, Mr. McAleer, 63, who has spearheaded the plans for a new £25 million campus on the site of the former Erne Hospital, noted that the college’s development plan has been “largely delivered” and planning for the 2018/21 plan has commenced.
“This has led me to reflect on my future role and it has slowly dawned on me that I will not be involved in the 2018/21 delivery due to my advancing years. I will be 64 in September 2017,” he said. 
Mr. McAleer, who took up the position in August 2009, informed Joe Martin, the chairman of the college, and the governing body of his decision. 
In his e-mail the former civil engineer said: “It was a very difficult announcement for me as I enjoy my role; working with friends and colleagues.”
“You have given me eight great years and I have enjoyed each and every one of your many achievements along the way. Further, I am reassured by my confidence in the staff of South West College; proud, dedicated, talented, caring and hard-working people; and I know you will enjoy even greater achievements,” he said.
An engineering graduate, he joined the education sector in 1982 and lectured in the Institute of Technology, County Sligo prior to joining Omagh College in 1992 and the merged South West College in 2007. 
Mr. McAleer, who is primarily based in the Omagh campus, now looks forward to spending more time with his family and an opportunity “to reflect on a very enjoyable period in my life.”
At last week’s meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Sinn Fein’s Thomas O’Reilly said Mr. McAleer’s successor would be based in Dungannon and not Omagh. 
“There is going to be a new CEO appointed there in the summer and I understand the post is going to be based in Dungannon as opposed to Omagh. I am just wondering if this Council would write to South West College to try to establish why the centre of administration is being moved to Dungannon?
“You move out of an area it’s more difficult to have correspondence and all the rest,” Councillor O’Reilly said.