The Degree Apprentice helping to drive Digital Innovation in Wales
BSC Cloud Software Development graduate Gareth Williams is proving that it’s never too late to pursue education while advancing a career. Currently employed by Digital Health and Care Wales, Gareth has built an impressive career in the NHS and is now making strides to modernise health and care data usage across Wales as part of the National Data Resource Programme.
Reflecting on his journey, Gareth, who graduated at our Winter Ceremony at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall on November 26th, has shared how his experience and ambition led him to seek further education.
“By 2018, I felt I had reached a ceiling in my career. With the growing importance of cloud computing in businesses, I decided to explore computing courses to expand my knowledge and skills.”
Determined to enhance his qualifications, Gareth, who lives in Bridgend, enrolled in a digital degree apprenticeship programme at ϳԹ. The programme allowed him to gain valuable skills while continuing to work full-time. Gareth said this was a unique opportunity to receive a university education.
Highlights of the Journey
The course proved transformative both professionally and personally. Despite initial doubts, Gareth said he surprised himself by excelling in closed-book exams and enjoyed utilising campus facilities such as the library and study spaces. He found that students were supportive of each other both in collaborative and individual tasks.
“Although daunting at first, I quickly grew to look forward to attending campus each week. Being surrounded by people who also wanted to learn was motivating,” he said.
The programme also proved instrumental in his role, improving critical skills such as researching, critical thinking, and writing. Topics like cyber security had a direct impact on his ability to support colleagues and promote best practices in work.
Overcoming Challenges
The COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant challenge, forcing Gareth to pause studies for a year to focus on the response efforts of the NHS. However, the course’s flexibility allowed him to resume once the situation stabilised. The skills learned, helped Gareth to lead on the design and development of Wales’s Covid Contract Tracing solution using cloud technologies and build the foundations for the NHS Wales National Data Platform.
Looking Ahead
Having completed the course, Gareth said he has a renewed confidence in his abilities and enhanced communication skills. Looking to the future, he plans to build on this success by pursuing a master’s degree in data or digital leadership.
“This experience has highlighted my determination and given me a stronger sense of self-belief,” he added.
“The breadth of the content is incredible. As long as you’re determined, you’ll find the modules engaging and manageable, even in areas where you may have little prior experience.”
Further Information
Rebecca Davies
Executive Press and Media Relations Officer
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: rebecca.davies@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 07384 467071