Scott Clarke, Plant Manager at Kingspan’s Holywell site, has completed a business degree with Coleg Cambria.
Scott, from Connah’s Quay, achieved the BSc (Hons) Applied Business Management at Cambria’s Northop Business School, having previously completed the Foundation Degree in Applied Business Management.
He has spent the last decade as Plant Manager at the Holywell site, which produces high-performance insulation, leading more than 300 of the company’s 450 staff and overseeing all operational aspects of the business.
Scott trained as an engineer at the former Deeside College and has worked in manufacturing and engineering for more than 25 years. Before joining Kingspan he spent a decade in the automotive industry, and earlier travelled the world as a self-employed engineer installing, commissioning and repairing machinery.
“I know the operational side of the role inside out, but it was a great opportunity to learn new skills and gain accreditation to support the experience I’ve built over many years,” said Scott.
“As you progress through your career you often find yourself managing people without ever having had formal qualifications in leadership, finance or HR. I deal with those areas every day, but studying them in depth has cemented that knowledge and given me even more credibility when having conversations with our teams and external partners.”
His dissertation explored ‘Accidental Leadership’, examining how skilled engineers and operators are often promoted into management roles without formal leadership training. He studied modules in strategic management, operations, finance, HR, leadership and marketing.
His experience led Kingspan to host first-year Applied Business Management learners, and the company is now exploring apprenticeship opportunities to support future leadership development.
He said: “It was a commitment, attending one day a week alongside remote learning and then studying during evenings and weekends, but my wife Kelly and our sons, Sam and Lewis, were amazing. I genuinely couldn’t have done it without their support.”
Jane Keys, Assistant Principal for Employer Engagement at Coleg Cambria, said: “Our BSc (Hons) Applied Business Management programme has been designed for people already in employment, enabling them to develop strategic leadership, finance, operations and people management skills while applying that learning directly in the workplace.”
