EGIS, a global consulting and engineering leader, credits much of its business growth to the further education of its employees — with a member of Coleg Gwent’s alumni playing a key role in 2024.
Ben Roberts, from Pontypool, started his career journey by studying a BTEC in Construction and the Built Environment Level 3 at Coleg Gwent in 2017, before progressing to a Higher Education HNC and HND.
This month, seven years later, Ben is celebrating the completion of a degree in Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management — all while being employed as Assistant Commercial Manager at EGIS.
Thomas Menzies, Head of Commercial Wales and West at EGIS, said: “Supporting employee education is important to us as it gives our staff the skills and knowledge to undertake their roles — while providing our clients with the certainty that the people working on their projects are professionally recognised at the right-level and are able to serve their projects effectively.
“Furthermore, it gives our people the chance to develop and grow their careers, opening up new opportunities for them to move onto in the future.”
Having then achieved a 2:1 from University of South Wales, during active employment, Ben has always sought out opportunities to earn and study simultaneously. He said: “My journey with Coleg Gwent from 2017–2022 allowed me to gain a wider knowledge of the construction world and transfer the knowledge gained into my working day. It also meant that I was able to complete my degree course in two years, rather than three, through recognition of my prior learning and qualifications from Coleg Gwent”.
Ben’s manager, Thomas, reflected on the positive impact of Ben’s success at EGIS: “Ben’s degree in Quantity Surveying will positively impact our team and wider organisation in many ways. The qualification will provide him with the skills to progress his career, it will give our clients the assurance of professionally qualified team members delivering their projects and it sets an example to new starters and junior members of staff looking to learn and gain professional qualifications.
“That’s why EGIS provides employees with educational support in four ways — time and space away from the working day for our people to learn; a wide network of experienced staff available to answer questions and provide guidance; real-life experiences as they work closely with our clients to deliver complex infrastructure; and mobility and flexibility.”
Furthermore, Ben credits Coleg Gwent for improving his employability and helping him reach his current role through valuable employer links and practical experience — gained via the apprenticeships undertaken alongside his studies.
He said: “I’ve come a long way from beginning with a small contractor as an apprentice, to assistant commercial manager working on multi-million-pound projects. I would not be at this stage of my career without the knowledge, support and apprenticeship opportunities provided by Coleg Gwent along my educational journey. I urge anyone who is thinking of upskilling or gaining a new qualification to pursue it — it’s a long-term investment in yourself.”
Dan Coles, Vice Principal for Partnerships and Learner Journey at Coleg Gwent, said: “At Coleg Gwent, we’re proud to offer a diverse range of higher education courses that can open up professional networks and expand opportunities. It’s fantastic to witness alumni like Ben utilising the knowledge, qualifications and practical experience gained while at the college to achieve a thriving career within his chosen sector — especially when the knowledge gathered from studying at Coleg Gwent means that you could be fast-tracked to your dream career.”
