College News

'Collider' exhibition 7 - 29 August

‘Collider’ is an exhibition following Gower College Swansea’s successful Artists in Residence programme 2015.

On show is the work of the selected artists who participated in this year’s Artists in Residency programme – Jason & Becky and Gareth Southwell.

In addition, there is a showcase of material from Gower College Swansea students from the Saturday Art School initiative and various art and design courses, plus work undertaken by the artists and local NEETs (young people ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’).

“I’m living proof that it’s never too late."

Jodie Croxall, from Swiss Valley in Llanelli, celebrated achievement this week as she received her PhD in Social Policy from Swansea University.

Jodie, aged 39, received her award at the Summer Degree and Award Congregation for the College of Human and Health Sciences at the City and County of Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall, cheered on by her proud parents Allan and Tina, husband Neil and son Adam.

Scholarship for Access student Felix

Access to Law student Felix Green is celebrating after receiving both a conditional offer to study Law at Swansea University and a £1,500 Incentive Scholarship from the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

A former Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr pupil, Felix was awarded the scholarship as he intends to study his Law degree through the medium of Welsh.

Innovative HR system scoops national award for college

An innovative human resources system that has saved both time and money has seen Gower College Swansea scoop a prestigious national award from HR Magazine.

The ‘All About Me/All About My Staff’ system was recently named the Most Innovative Deployment of HR Technology at the HR Excellence Awards 2015 in London, beating stiff competition from national and international giants such as Santander, Monster and Nationwide Building Society.

Blue plaque unveiled at Sketty Hall

The man who oversaw the creation of the world-renowned Cambrian Pottery has been honoured with a blue plaque at Sketty Hall, the Swansea landmark he once owned.

The blue plaque was unveiled in honour of Lewis Weston Dillwyn, also an eminent botanist, on 2 July.

Dillwyn was born in 1778. His father, a Pennsylvanian Quaker, returned to Britain the year before during Philadelphia’s worst period in the American War of Independence. He was a vociferous anti-slavery campaigner and toured England and South Wales in his work for the Anti-Slavery Committee.

Project Enduro – world record holders!

The team behind Project Enduro, designers and manufacturers of prototype specialist four-wheeled downhill mountain bikes, have a new accolade under their belt - that of world record holders!

This follows the recent challenge at Antur Stiniog, Snowdonia, where they attempted to set a new world record for the greatest number of vertical metres descended in 24 hours.

In weather that can best be described as ‘changeable’, they descended an amazing 25,875 metres within the 24 hour deadline.

Stefano engineers himself a job

Winning an engineering competition proved just the job for Gower College Swansea student Stefano Amoruso when one of the judges offered him an apprenticeship.

Stefano won the recent WorldSkills UK Industrial Electronics regional final at the Tycoch campus and will now go on to compete at the Skills Show at Birmingham’s NEC in November. There is also the potential of a place at the WorldSkills International finals in Abu Dhabi in 2017 in the pipeline.

ILS students celebrate work placement success

Independent Living Skills students at Gower College Swansea have celebrated the end of the academic year by enjoying a delicious buffet at the Vanilla Pod.

"The event was a roaring success and it was a great opportunity to say 'thank you' to the employers and volunteer groups who support the ILS department throughout the year," says Work Placement Coordinator Karen McDonald. "The buffet, which was prepared by catering and hospitality students, was delicious."

Students perform a Greek tragedy - in Welsh

As part of their final few weeks of classes before the Summer break, AS Level Drama students at Gower College Swansea were given the opportunity to prepare a bilingual production of Sophocles' Electra.

Set in the city of Argos, the play recounts the tale of Electra and the vengeance that she and her brother Orestes take on their mother and stepfather following the murder of their father. This particular production used the set of a Jeremy Kyle-type TV programme as a backdrop for the developing story.

2015 awards recognise outstanding student achievement

Outstanding students have been honoured at the Gower College Swansea 2015 Annual Awards ceremony.

The awards were handed out at the Liberty Stadium, with recipients representing every aspect of college life from art, sport and engineering to enterprise, languages and hospitality.

Swansea Sound DJ Kevin Johns MBE once again hosted the evening, where students were honoured for their achievements both academic and personal.