A grandad, father and son who share the same historic name have upskilled for the future at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor.

Robert David Gunton, who teaches plumbing at Dolgellau’s CaMDA campus, is the 10th in a long line of Robert Guntons going back more than two centuries.

This summer, Rob achieved his Professional Certificate of Education (PCE).

His eldest son, the 11th Robert Gunton - known as Robert John to avoid confusion – won the Achiever of the Year award for the college’s engineering department.

Rob’s father Bob has also been enjoying learning, with the ninth Robert Gunton keeping his skills sharp by completing a DIY plumbing course at the CaMDA construction and engineering campus.

And it's not just a name and an appetite for learning that all three Robert Guntons share, with Rob having followed Bob into the fire service, and Robert John about to do the same.

Bob is a retired full-time firefighter. Rob is a part-time firefighter. Robert John has applied to join the fire service and has just had his medical.

Rob’s graduation ceremony at Venue Cymru was an emotional moment. Rob said: “None of my family have ever gone to uni so I didn’t know what to expect at the graduation.

“When they read out my name, just for a split second I had to swallow a lump in my throat.

“The course has made a difference in my work life, to the way I teach. The things you pick up through the course, how you can improve your teaching methods, the feedback they give you to develop - all of that comes together and you take it forward with you.”

Less than a month before the graduation ceremony, the Guntons had been at the Dolgellau campus for Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor’s annual Achievers’ Awards, where they saw 18-year-old Robert John recognised for the dedication he had shown to his Level 2 Fabrication and Welding course.

“He won the award for his overall effort,” dad Rob added. “He was the most improved learner throughout the year - he had some feedback on how he needed to improve in certain areas, and he just got on with it. He is now studying Level 3 Fabrication and Welding, and hopes to progress to Level 3 Engineering.”

Rob was one of the teachers last year on a hugely popular plumbing course that was offered through Multiply - with his dad Bob among the learners.

“We had so many students that we had two groups, which meant I could make sure I wasn’t teaching my dad!” he said.

“It was a really worthwhile course, and I really enjoyed teaching it. A lot of people have told me they’ve changed their own radiators at home and things like that since doing the course.

“My dad very much likes to keep on top of skills and improve himself, and a lot of the information was new to him. Although he doesn’t need to change his own radiators because he’s got me to do that for him!”