“I left UWS with many opportunities ahead and my time there will always be treasured as it was the time when I began a better life.”

In this alumni profile we hear from Commercial Music graduate (2013) Robin Young. A Canadian native, Robin studied at UWS Ayr Campus as part of the Harris Institute partnership.

Tell us about your time at the University

UWS provided me with the experience of a lifetime. As a Canadian student studying abroad, I was lucky enough to study at the new Ayr campus, where I met many other international & EU students in the same situation – we quickly became one big family.

In my time as a UWS student, I never felt like there wasn’t support for me when I needed it. My lecturers were always available and they took the time to know me by name and meet with me when I needed guidance, clarification, or just to shoot the breeze.

I left UWS with many opportunities ahead and my time there will always be treasured as it was the time when I began a better life.

Tell us about your experiences since leaving the University

Since leaving UWS I embarked on further study, completing a PGDE in Education before returning to Toronto, Canada. These two degrees enabled me to begin my career as a corporate trainer. Now many may wonder what a degree in Commercial Music could do for a corporate trainer, and the answer is lots! The arts degree put me ahead of the competition as my training in recording software, engineering, creative product design and project management gave me the foundation I needed to create strong, engaging Elearning. It helped me become a Design Thinker.

Now my career involves daily creativity, teamwork and even travel to other parts of Canada and the United States to deliver training sessions on how to create engaging learning. I also teach courses on Elearning development in a University and a College in Toronto while completing my Doctorate in Education at the University of Glasgow.

If you could offer one piece of advice or top tip to current students what would it be?

My advice to current students is to be open-minded. A degree opens many doors, and you should be adaptable and welcome change. Career paths twist, change and weave together and you can often discover career paths that you didn’t know existed, and yet they can be the best career move you make.

What is that drives you on in your professional life?

What drives me is the desire to always improve and keep learning. The job market is competitive and we in the creative industries need to stay on top of our game. There will always be new ways of doing things and adaptability is key.

Everyone makes mistakes, and the important thing is to recognise why the mistakes were made and how to improve on those actions in order to grow and succeed.