AMY-Leigh Quantick is a second-year HND Media and Communications student at Glasgow Clyde College and was part of the team that recently organised the Scottish Student Journalism Awards 2015.
What course are you studying?
Currently, I am a second-year HND Media and Communications student at Glasgow Clyde College.
What inspired you to choose this course ahead of all the others on offer?
During my last year of school, I was still quite confused about what I wanted to do.
I have always been a creative person and I found the film and television industry really interesting; at that point, that’s what I thought the media industry was all about.
I looked around Glasgow to find courses along those lines and the Media and Communications course at Glasgow Clyde College seemed perfect for someone like me, who didn’t know, in particular, what to focus on. There was a breadth to it.
It wasn’t until I started the course that I discovered a whole other side to the media industry such as advertising and PR, which I completely fell in love with.
At what stage are you?
I am almost finished my second year.
What have you most enjoyed about the course so far?
Finding something that I am passionate about and think I’m good at.
The course really gives you lots of opportunities to try different things and get to know loads of different aspects of media.
The highlight has been the chance to help organise the Scottish Student Journalism Awards 2015 – for my graded unit.
This is a major annual event which gives talented young student journalists a platform to showcase their best work.
It is nationally-recognised event which brings together the best of Scottish broadcast and print with Scotland’s new generation of journalists.
Last week was the award’s night and the response was amazing. I couldn’t help but feel proud that I was part of the team that allowed the talented young journalists to have the recognition that they deserve.
It was an extremely hard six months in the run-up, since everything – from the application packs to the awards night – we did ourselves. But now that I know what I am capable of achieving, I can’t wait to start the next project.
What lies ahead and how are you preparing yourself for it?
I am hopefully going on to study as Glasgow Caledonian University. I love learning and discovering new things, so this seems like the best option for me. I am just hoping that all of the hard work that I put into my HND course will pay off and set me in good stead to study at university.
Are you currently using any of your new-found skills in actual media work?
I recently got a job with an events company that started out with me enquiring about work experience. I also am hoping in the near future to be moving into the PR and marketing industry.
What next, after you have no doubt successfully completed your course?
If I have been successful with my course, then my first goal is to move onto university.
Then, after university, I’m not sure what I will be doing. Of course, I will want to be in a good job doing what I love, but everything moves and changes so fast now; who knows what will unfold in the next few years.
Any single piece of media studies advice you want to share?
Work hard and get yourself out there. If you put in the work and the effort, the results will show.
You need to have confidence and not be afraid to make yourself known.
