Academic courses are possible for everyone
Shaun Kilbane left school in the late nineties at 16, with very few qualifications. He was certain that academia wasn’t for him. But almost 25 years later, he has certainly proved himself wrong…
After leaving school, Shaun went straight into the workplace, and found himself an apprenticeship as a Fabricator Welder. Apprenticeships offer practical, work-based learning, which he felt was more suited to him than academia.
Over the years employed by Safran Aerospace, Shaun worked his way up, and in 2017 was offered the chance to further his education with support from the company.
He applied for BEng Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, which he could study on a Friday afternoon. This wouldn’t impact his full time job, and was at a location close to his home – UWTSD’s SA1 Swansea Waterfront Campus.
About the application process, Shaun said: “I was delighted that UWTSD considered my application based on experience, rather than on academic results like other unis. With the few qualifications I had, I would never have been accepted into university if it was purely based on this,” he added.
“On the course there was lots of Maths, Physics and Chemistry, which I hadn’t liked very much at school, but the lecturers were fantastic in supporting me and making the content really interesting.
“I’m not academic by nature, but with their help, I worked really hard and excelled.”
There was no stopping Shaun. He graduated from his Bachelors in 2020 and decided to embark on a Masters straight away, this time choosing MSc Engineering Project Management.
“Again, the convenience of UWTSD offering local and part-time courses is fantastic for people like me who work full time but need an opportunity to move up in our careers. I studied my Masters on a Tuesday evening, which limited the impact to my full-time job.
“I find learning incredibly satisfying. It’s often difficult, frustrating and challenging, but the buzz of overcoming something that at first appears impossible is the best feeling. I learned a great deal on the course which has helped me get my current role as Engineering Project Lead.”
Alongside this job, Shaun became a part-time lecturer on the MADE Cymru course, and then on the UWTSD Design for Manufacture course, which is his area of expertise. Reflecting on where he is now, he said:
“I’m approaching halfway through my working life, and have well surpassed what I ever thought I would achieve in my lifetime. The tools and methods I’ve learnt at UWTSD have helped in my career, and the staff and university community are supportive and always ready to listen and assist.
“I’m really happy to be progressing my career in Aerospace, an industry I’m very fond of, and can recommend further study for those already in work. UWTSD helped me achieve more than I ever thought I was capable of, for which I’m incredibly grateful.”
Further Information
Ella Staden
Press and Media Officer
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: ella.staden@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 07384467078