Edinburgh College was a hub of creative activity as it welcomed some of the country’s top professionals to its sixth annual Creative Industries Employability Day.
Creative juices were flowing at the college’s Granton Campus and Performing Arts Studio Scotland (PASS) theatre, where students had an opportunity to get career advice from guest speakers from across the creative sector including experts in film and television, music, photography, fashion, computing, performing arts and more.
More than 600 students from the Creative Industries curriculum were inspired by workshops delivered by guest speakers who gave students their top tips on making the most of their talent, offered advice on building successful careers, and on getting noticed in the industry.
The workshops were provided by the likes of the BBC (including BBC Scotland and 6 Music DJ Vic Galloway), the Traverse Theatre, Business Gateway, DF Concerts, the Cultural Enterprise Office, Creative Scotland, FreeAgent, the National Galleries of Scotland and more.
BBC radio presenter Vic Galloway (above) said: “It was a pleasure to come to Edinburgh College and to sit on the panel alongside other radio enthusiasts. During our discussion we shed some light on the inner workings of production and on-air talent in the 21st century.
“Radio listening numbers were consistently high in 2017 and it continues to be a valuable medium. I enjoyed speaking to the students who were all very passionate about their craft and I hope to hear some of their voices over the radio waves in the future.”
The college welcomed back some familiar faces in the form of previous students who have gone on to forge successful careers in the creative industry including HND Acting and Performance graduate and River City star Neil Pendleton.
HND Acting and Performance student Michael Robertson said: “The Employability Day was really inspiring. Hearing from people who have made a career out of doing what they love gives you the belief and confidence that you can make it too. It was interesting to hear from previous students on how they got into the industry. Everyone had great stories to tell.”
Edinburgh College head of Creative Industries Jakki Jeffery said: “This is the sixth year we have run the Employability Day and it was definitely our biggest and best yet. Each year it grows as we welcome more people from the industry to share their knowledge with our students.
“The creative industry can be extremely competitive and hearing from people who have experienced the industry highs and lows throughout their career is really helpful to our students. At the college we aim to inspire all of our students to be the best that they can be and I’d like to thank all of the speakers who came along to help us in doing so. We already can’t wait for next year!”