Fiona Wilson Accelerated HNC Marketing Communications

Fiona Wilson Accelerated HNC Marketing Communications

"In May 2018, at the ripe old age of 52, I attended the college open day with my daughter with the intention of her signing up for a course, instead we left with me having decided to enrol for an HNC Events.

Having left a successful career in Sky Television I was at a bit of a crossroads in my career, I was in job with Xcite that I enjoyed but I wanted more… So I threw caution to the wind and decided to take on full time studying alongside full time working to reach my end goal, a career in events that I had wanted to do for years.

My biggest fear was that I would be the oldest in the class and that I wouldn’t fit in however, I needn’t have worried I was with an amazing group of people who just got on. I also worried that juggling college and work would be difficult, it was but I did it and think I got the full college experience.

College life was amazing and I got so much from it, including a fantastic network of friends. The course was so good, learning so much about the events industry both through theory and practical work and had lots of tears and laughs along the way. I got the opportunity to go The Gathering, an annual exhibition run by SCVO and as a result continue to attend as a volunteer. I also went on an Erasmus trip to Italy to study hospitality, cooking and events in another country, this was the most amazing experience and I made friends on this that will remain friends for life.

I secured my dream job, firstly on secondment before I even finished college, as Events Co-Ordinator at Howden Park Centre in Livingston. This would not have happened without taking a leap of faith and going back to studying full time and it has allowed me to put my learning into practise, despite being on furlough for much of last year I haven’t lost my passion for events and has given me time to reinvent events in my venue.

I would recommend college life to anyone and especially West Lothian College. You are never too old or too anything, just try it. Since finishing college I have not hung up my studying hat, I have completed a number of other short courses and have taken another leap of faith as I have recently started an Accelerated HNC in Marketing next week. Lifelong learning."

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