Gower College Swansea boasts a variety of courses and free taster sessions for adult learners.
Gower College Swansea has always held a strong reputation for further education, but did you know they also offer a large range of both recreational and professional development courses with flexible delivery for adult learners? And whether you are looking to boost your employability, change the direction of your career, update your skills or simply learn something new, when better to apply than Adult Learners’ Week?
Adult Learners’ Week
Adult Learners’ Week is the biggest celebration of learning in Wales, coordinated by the Learning and Work Institute in partnership with the Welsh Government.
It aims to inspire adults to discover a passion for learning and skills development and show them that it’s never too late to start learning!
Courses to suit everyone
Adult learners can have a number of demands on their time. For this reason, the College offers a variety of flexible and short courses, as well as courses running at different times of the day and evening.
From introductory to university level, in a range of subjects from cookery to counselling, brickwork to business and fitness instructing to filmmaking – Gower College Swansea is sure to have a course to suit you.
And that’s not all! For Adult Learners’ Week, the College is running 31 FREE 45-minute sessions on a variety of topics such as basic Welsh, coding, art for wellbeing, customer service, and CV preparation.
Never too late
Truly embodying what lifelong learning represents, Phyllis Gregory – a 94-year-old Digital Literacy learner at the College – scooped the Aging Well award at the Adult Learning Awards last year.
Phyllis had always had a passion for writing and poetry, winning numerous competitions throughout her life, but found that she could no longer write by hand after developing shaking hand syndrome.
Determined to continue what she loved, she saw this as an opportunity to pick up a new skill and enrolled on a Digital Literacy course so that she could learn how to use a computer.
“People think once you get your free bus pass, that's it” says Phyllis. “But I'm the kind of person who can't sit still, I like doing things.
“I was intimidated to join the course, but the tutors were fantastic and made me feel very welcome. I received every possible support from them. It was a very pleasant experience.”
A change of career
Gareth had always enjoyed science in school but didn’t, at the time, consider studying it at a higher level.
In 2019, he enrolled at Gower College Swansea to study the Access to Science course. By then, he was thinking of studying the subject at university and needed to gain the Diploma and a few GCSEs to meet the entry requirements.
Gareth went on to achieve Distinctions in all his units on the Access course, and successfully completed his maths and English GCSEs at the College too.
He then decided to study BSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
“The Access course really benefited me by preparing me for uni,” he says. “The workload was a challenge at times, but I can now take everything I learned at college and apply it to my university work.
“My experience at Gower College Swansea was amazing. Everyone was so helpful – from the admin and library staff within the department to my very patient teachers.
“I cannot recommend an Access course enough, especially if you are a mature student. It’s never too late and you have absolutely nothing to lose.”
Resources, guidance and support
Adult learners at the College have full access to a range of support during their studies including learning support and advice on courses, careers, personal matters and finance issues.
Learners also get full access to the libraries at the College, which offer flexible learning spaces and a wide range of resources such as PCs, printing and copying facilities, free Wi-Fi and knowledgeable and supportive staff.
If you are at a career crossroads, Better Jobs, Better Futures - Gower College Swansea’s employability programme - can also help you to gain, retain and progress within employment.
Worried about cost? As well as the FREE sessions offered during Adult Learners’ Week and some low-cost part-time courses, the College also provides courses which are fully-funded through Welsh Government Personal Learning Accounts (PLAs).