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Over 180 higher education (HE) students from Gower College Swansea have marked their academic achievements at a special graduation ceremony at the Swansea Building Society Arena.

The graduates were there to celebrate completing a wide range of higher-level courses including advice and guidance, computing and technology, law and criminology, leadership and management, built environment and marketing.

The College works in partnership with a number of universities to deliver?higher level programmes?including Swansea University, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, University of South Wales, Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University.

“Today, Welsh Government places a great emphasis upon education, and particularly further and higher education, in terms of delivering the higher level skills that are needed to support a strong economy across Wales,” says Principal, Paul Kift.

“We are therefore delighted that Gower College Swansea is able to support this agenda whilst at the same time continuing to develop new higher education courses which meet the needs of Swansea and the South West Wales region.

“We congratulate all of our students who have achieved their higher education qualifications. They are a credit to themselves, their families, their employers and to the College and we wish them well in their future careers and look forward to hearing of their continued success.”

“At Gower College Swansea, we are committed to shaping a higher education offer that truly meets the future skills needs of employers and learners,” says Chief Executive Officer, Kelly Fountain. “Our new HE Strategy focuses on delivering flexible, innovative courses at Levels 4 and 5, some including online learning, while strengthening partnerships to ensure fast-tracked course development and accreditation. This is about creating opportunities and preparing our students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in their chosen careers.”

The evening was also an opportunity for students to showcase their talents, with the College’s talented jazz band providing the arrival entertainment in the Arena foyer and our fantastic Level 4 Performing Arts students taking to the stage to open the graduation ceremony.

This year, Gower College Swansea was honoured to award a special Certificate of Fellowship to former student Adele Thomas, an award-winning director noted for her highly physical, pared-back stagings for theatre and opera.

She is currently Co-General Director and CEO of Welsh National Opera, alongside Sarah Crabtree.

Among her other achievements are being a founding member of Freelancers Make Theatre Work, and an Honorary Fellow of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University.

Adele is an alumnus of Cambridge University, the RTYDS scheme and the National Theatre Young Director’s course.

Speaking about her time at College, Adele said “The big change was when I went to Gorseinon…It was heaven. That’s where I really began to experience all forms of arts – film, drama, visual art – and see possibilities. Without Gorseinon, I’d never have felt confident enough to deal with going to Cambridge.”

Buckinghamshire College Group is proud to announce that it has been awarded the Bronze Award in Trauma-Informed and Attachment-Aware Practice by the Buckinghamshire Virtual School. This recognition reflects the College’s unwavering commitment to creating a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment for all learners, particularly those who have experienced adversity.  

The Bronze Award is part of a county-wide initiative led by the Buckinghamshire Virtual School to equip educational settings with the knowledge and strategies needed to support vulnerable children and young people. Trauma-informed and attachment-aware approaches are proven to help learners overcome barriers, build resilience, and achieve their full potential.   

This achievement comes on the heels of the College’s recent Ofsted inspection, which rated Buckinghamshire College Group as “Good” across all categories, including the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and provision for learners with high needs.  

The College’s trauma informed work is closely aligned with its role in Opportunity Bucks, Buckinghamshire Council’s flagship programme to improve opportunities for people in the county’s most disadvantaged communities.  

Nicky Ellis, Assistant Principal for Student Engagement and Support, said:  

“We are delighted to receive the Bronze Award from the Buckinghamshire Virtual School. This recognition is a testament to the dedication of our staff and the strength of our community. By embedding trauma-informed and attachment-aware approaches, we are not only supporting our most vulnerable learners but creating a culture where every student feels safe, respected, and empowered to achieve their best. We are proud to lead the way in trauma-informed education for post-16 learners and look forward to expanding our impact in 2025 and of course achieving our Silver Award!”  

Emma Owen, Head of the Buckinghamshire Virtual School, commented:  

“Buckinghamshire College Group has demonstrated a deep commitment to understanding and meeting the needs of all its learners. Their work in trauma-informed and attachment-aware practice sets a powerful example for others and will have a lasting impact on the lives of young people across the county.” 

As part of the Trauma-Informed and Attachment-Aware Programme, the College collaborated with twelve local schools who are now beginning their own journeys, reflecting a growing sector-wide commitment to nurturing the wellbeing of children and young people. 

This award reinforces Buckinghamshire College Group’s commitment to supporting every learner and fostering an environment where all students can thrive. The College will continue to build on this work, ensuring that trauma informed and attachment aware practices remain at the heart of its approach to education and student wellbeing. 

Following an assessment by Social Work England in August, the University Centre Grimsby has received official confirmation that they are now an accredited social work education institute.

Social Work England is the specialist regulator for the sector. It sets out the professional standards that a social worker in England must know, understand, and be able to do.

Speaking about what this accreditation means for the local area, Andy Cowdroy, Social Work Lead at the University Centre Grimsby, said:

“The aim of setting up our social work programmes is to work collaboratively with local partners and stakeholders to deliver and maintain the social work workforce. There are so many people out there who would make amazing social workers but are unable to access education. This will no longer be the case; we can now provide local social work education for local people.

“I want to say a huge thank you to all of those who have contributed to developing the programmes, as well as being part of the inspection. We could not have done it without your support.”

Ann-Marie Matson, Director of Children’s Services at North East Lincolnshire Council, who worked closely with University Centre Grimsby on the programmes, said:

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with the University Centre Grimsby, which has led to a social work degree course being created and will strengthen the local social work workforce. This collaboration is a real investment in our borough’s future – giving local people the opportunity to train, qualify and build rewarding careers in social work right here in our community.

“By developing skilled and passionate practitioners close to home, we can make a lasting difference to the lives of children, young people, and adults across our area. This is an exciting step forward for social work in our borough and a testament to what can be achieved!”

John Allen, Principal Social Worker for Adults Social Care, also shared:

“Having social work programmes delivered locally at the University Centre in Grimsby is a great step forward for our community. It means aspiring social workers can train close to home, strengthening the social care workforce and ensuring we reflect the needs of North East Lincolnshire. This investment in education will help us attract and retain talented people who are committed to making a difference in people’s lives.”

From September 2026, University Centre Grimsby will offer a full-time BA (Hons) Social Work degree and a BA (Hons) Social Work Degree Apprenticeship. The new social work courses are validated by TEC Partnership as the degree-awarding body. The degree apprenticeship has been developed following grant funding from the Office for Students. Both courses represent an exciting and innovative new higher education offer for Grimsby. 

Three Learning and Development Apprentices from Stoke on Trent College have secured promotions at bet365 as they near the completion of their End-Point Assessments (EPAs).

Katie Myatt, Fabiola Pasquantonio, and Jacob Holmes all began their Learning and Development Practitioner Level 3 Apprenticeship at the College in early 2024 and have now progressed to the role of Senior Training Officer at bet365.

Fabiola Pasquantonio, who has been with bet365 for four years, saw the Apprenticeship as a great opportunity to develop her career, saying,

“An Apprenticeship is a great way to invest in yourself and your career. When my manager proposed the opportunity, it was an easy yes. The course helped me understand the full scope of what’s expected of a Learning and Development Practitioner, especially in a senior role.”

Katie Myatt began her Apprenticeship in February 2024 and viewed the programme as a chance to upskill and advance her career.

“I was around 18 months into my role as a Training Officer when my manager offered me the opportunity to deepen my knowledge and challenge myself academically. I’ve wanted to work in learning and development from a young age. As an adult learner, I felt some trepidation returning to education, but the support from our Tutor has been superb,” Katie said.

Jacob Holmes is currently completing his End-Point Assessment, expected to conclude in January. He has been serving as a Senior Training Officer since the start of the year, and said:

“The role has allowed me to explore a broader range of learning and development initiatives at bet365. Since my promotion, I’ve been building learning pathways and delivering courses. Our Tutor Diane has been fantastic, providing a wealth of resources and going above and beyond to support us.”

Katie, Fabiola, and Jacob represent the first cohort of Learning and Development Apprentices since Stoke on Trent College partnered with bet365.

Hassan Rizvi, Principal & CEO at Stoke on Trent College, said:

“Stoke on Trent College is the largest Apprenticeship provider in the City, with a proven track record of delivering programmes that ensure learners are Skills Ready, Future Ready. I’d like to congratulate Katie, Fabiola, and Jacob on excelling in their Apprenticeships and securing promotions at bet365. I also extend my thanks to our partners at bet365 for supporting career progression opportunities for their employees.”

Explore the latest Apprenticeship vacancies at Stoke on Trent College: https://stokecoll.ac.uk/apprenticeship-vacancies-2/.

ENDS

• Photo caption – from left to right – Katie Myatt, Jacob Holmes and Fabiola Pasquantonio apprentices at bet365
• Stoke on Trent College serves up to 7000 students a year including young people, adults and apprentices. Working with a wide range of employers in key growth areas of the economy such as Digital, Construction, Engineering, STEM and Health and Social Care and more.
• The College also work with young adults who may have a special educational or additional need.
• A wide range of flexible and distance learning is provided by the College to individuals and businesses.

Gower College Swansea has welcomed the Team Wales torch to Tycoch Campus, marking a key milestone on its journey across Wales ahead of this year’s WorldSkills UK National Finals.

The torch relay is building excitement ahead of the National Finals – hosted in Wales for the very first time on 26-28 November – and shining a spotlight on the road to WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, known globally as the ‘Skills Olympics’.

Across Wales, colleges have joined together to celebrate the collective effort behind Team Wales’ success in vocational skills. These competitions begin locally with Skills Competition Wales, coordinated by the Inspiring Skills Excellence in Wales project, before progressing to national and international levels.

At the Tycoch Campus, the torch took centre stage during a special celebration event involving students and staff, local schools, employer partners, VIPs and past medal winners in a range of ‘Have a Go’ activities, demos and workshops.

Seven students from Gower College Swansea have reached the National Finals of WorldSkills 2025. Huge congratulations to:

Eva Robins – Foundation Skills: Restaurant Services
Bradley Claringbold, Hamza Imansouren and Kai Pagett – Industrial Electronics
Evelyn Howells – Restaurant Service
Ffion Davies – SFX Makeup and Hair for Film and TV
Kyle Steele – Welding

More than 400 of the UK’s most talented students and apprentices have been named as finalists for this year’s WorldSkills UK national competitions, where they’ll battle it out to be crowned the country’s best across dozens of skilled trades. They were selected from nearly 7,900 young people who registered to showcase their skills and competed in regional events. The 47 competitions include aircraft maintenance, welding and horticulture.

Wales has a strong association with Team UK and sent three competitors to last year’s WorldSkills event in Lyon.

Medallists will be announced at an awards ceremony on the evening of November 28 at the International Convention Centre in Newport. Foundation skills medallists will get their awards at a ceremony at Cardiff and Vale College earlier in the day.

“We were honoured to host the Team Wales torch at our Tycoch Campus,” said Interim Principal, Paul Kift. “We’re now eagerly anticipating the start of the National Finals on 26 November, where seven of our talented learners will proudly represent the College across a range of vocational disciplines. I’d like to wish all competitors the very best of luck – it’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase their skills and dedication on a national stage.”

Ben Blackledge, CEO of WorldSkills UK said: “With employers all over the UK crying out for high-quality skills, this is a fantastic opportunity for hundreds of learners to show they are ready for work. I can’t wait to see the finalists in action.”

Welsh Government Skills Minister Jack Sargeant hailed the move of the national competitions to Wales as ‘thrilling.’

“We look forward to showing off our beautiful country to visiting teams while our hard-working competitors prepare to demonstrate their training,” he said. “I’m keen to see our representatives excel once again across a range of disciplines on their home soil.”