Many former students return to Gower College Swansea later in life. Some enrol on part-time evening classes to retrain or pick up a new hobby, while others find themselves walking through the door as parents looking to enrol their children on full-time courses.
But for Owen Rees and Luc Blackmore, it’s a little different again. Both former learners have returned to play a vital role in the £20.6 million redevelopment of the Gorseinon Campus.
Owen is an Associate Director at AtkinsRéalis, a world-class design and engineering services company.
After leaving the College in 1996 with A Levels in Geography, Geology and Law, he progressed to the University of Brighton to follow a BSc Hons in Energy Studies and Geography. Upon his graduation, Owen spent some time in Greece as a sailing instructor before working offshore in the oil and gas industry. He then decided to retrain as a building surveyor, eventually moving into project management.
Fast forward almost 30 years and Owen is now at AtkinsRéalis, overseeing the day-to-day work undertaken at Gorseinon by the main contractor Kier and the wider design team.
“This is a really exciting project, ambitious and complex and involving up to 60 people working on site at any one time,” says Owen. “It’s a really varied role, not only do I get to work closely with our colleagues at Kier as we move through the project, I am also responsible for the client liaison aspect too, so no two days are the same.
“It was quite strange the first time I revisited the Gorseinon Campus in my current role. The old main entrance and reception block had already been demolished but some parts of the site were still very familiar, so there was that sense of nostalgia. It feels great to be back and to be playing a key role in such a fantastic project.”
Luc attended the College in 2016/17 in order to complete his regulatory training in electrical installation and wiring. The course formed part of his apprenticeship, after which he went straight into full-time employment.
He joined Kier in September 2021 and has been in his current role for the past three years. As Building Services Manager, Luc is responsible for reviewing the mechanical and electrical design drawings and checking all aspects of the programme and installation for quality and compliance. He will also oversee the building services commissioning and documentation to achieve successful handover to the College.
“It’s great to be involved in a project that will improve the educational experience for students at Gower College Swansea which I attended myself and which is local to me, although it has made me feel old!” says Luc.
The Gorseinon Campus redevelopment is supported by Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme and highlights the College’s dedication to enhancing the learning environment and ensuring the sustainable growth of its facilities.
When completed, the redevelopment will include a new entrance area/atrium, additional classrooms/ICT facilities and student social spaces, and an improved traffic flow system.
The project, which is expected to be completed in May 2026, is also a key step in the College’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon, in line with Welsh Government standards.