Tom Steele

Tom Steele is a distinguished alumnus of GCU, having maintained strong ties with the University since he graduated with an MSc in Construction Management with Facilities Management in 2000.

Now Director of Estates and Facilities at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Tom’s career has been marked by strategic leadership and operational excellence.

Coming from a rural hometown, Tom said choosing the path to take on further study was initially a daunting prospect.

After school, he earned an ordinary national certificate and then a higher national certificate in construction at Ayr Technical College.

He gained the qualification alongside on-the-job experience in a number of hospital maintenance teams in Ayrshire which helped him begin his career with NHS Scotland in 1986.

After some time, Tom decided to return to further study as a mature student and gain a postgraduate degree at Glasgow Caledonian.

“GCU, to my mind, is the recognised institute for built environment studies,” he said.

“There’s such a broad suite of subjects, from construction to engineering and sustainability, so it seemed a really natural place to go.

“I was fortunate to get onto the MSc programme. I didn’t have an undergrad degree, but by that time I had a fair amount of on-the-job experience and had been to college.”

Tom believes being an older student was, in fact, an advantage as he hadn’t been pressured by teachers or parents to go to university, instead he really wanted to be there and was determined to make the most of it.

“I found that, while it was still challenging, I went to university with a different attitude than I had perhaps when I was at college,” he said.

Tom strongly believes his Master’s degree was a “game changer” which gave him the confidence to achieve professional institute credentials and accomplish his career goals, including thriving in his long-standing role as the Director of Estates and Facilities for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

“I’m not really hugely into badges or having letters after your name, but there is a part about being able to measure yourself almost academically against those others within the industry,” he said.

“So, when I went into a room, there was a level of reassurance to me that actually I am at the same level as others in the room who had been through similar academic attainment.

“I think post graduate study brings a different lens, it's a different depth of learning and provides a springboard to greater career opportunities.”

Tom was appointed as an Honorary Professor at Glasgow Caledonian in 2022 and now chairs the Built Environment and Asset Management (BEAM) research unit.

He’s also proud to be involved with the University’s award-winning Mentoring, Internships, Networking and Talks (MINT) Programme as a career mentor working with students, bringing his wealth of experience and knowledge to the next generation of professionals.

“I got involved with BEAM because I believe passionately in the value of learning and development and that you're never too old,” he said.