There Is #NoWrongPath

Looking back, every step helped me get to where I am today.

When I left school, I thought I had everything planned. I started one degree, realised it wasn’t for me, changed universities, changed subjects and even added an extra year studying Journalism.

After graduating, I worked in a petrol station and a takeaway, spent £2,000 on a course I never finished, and wondered if I’d ever find the right career.

Eventually, I landed a graduate communications role and discovered a passion for marketing.

The funny thing is… I’d never actually studied marketing.

Everything I’ve learned has come from saying yes to opportunities, learning on the job, asking questions and not being afraid to change direction.

This year, at 29, I’m hoping to start my first formal marketing qualification.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this:

Changing direction isn’t failing. Starting again isn’t failing. Your career doesn’t have to follow a straight line.

I went to university for a year before realising it was not the right route for me.

I came home and began working in the family business, learning quickly that practical experience can teach lessons no classroom can.

In 2005, I had the opportunity to start a new business with Dad, and over the past 20 years we have grown it through hard work, persistence and plenty of trial and error.

There have been successes, challenges and more than a few mistakes along the way, but each one has taught me something valuable.

The biggest lesson I have learned is that it is okay to take risks and make mistakes, as long as you are willing to learn from them and keep moving forward.

It wasn’t until 1999, when I started welding in a small fabrication shop, that I discovered a real passion for working with steel.

From there, I built my career through agricultural welding and steel erection, spent several years self-employed, returned to workshop-based fabrication, and joined Robinsons in 2013.

Since then, I’ve progressed from Site Supervisor to Site Manager, before moving into Contracts Management in 2020.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the road you thought you would take isn’t always the one that’s mapped out for you.

Follow your dreams and always aim high.

If you’re collecting your results this week, remember they don’t define your future.

There are so many different paths into a career you love, and sometimes the opportunities you never planned for turn out to be the ones that shape your future.

I applied for plenty of jobs and attended several interviews, but every application was unsuccessful apart from one company, who offered me an apprenticeship as a boilermaker in the workshop.

It wasn’t the career starting point I’d imagined, but you have to start somewhere. Looking back, the experience and knowledge I gained in the workshop proved invaluable later on in the drawing office.

In 1988, through a mutual contact, I secured a draughtsman’s position in a local drawing office.

Around the same time, the industry was beginning to move towards computer-aided drawing, and I could see it was the future.

When the opportunity came to train on the new technology, I jumped at it and continued building my skills.

A couple of changes of employer later, and here I am, happily working for Robinsons in the career I set out to do.

My reasoning was pretty simple, I loved going to concerts and festivals at the time and thought working behind the scenes sounded like a great idea!

After a year, I realised it wasn’t for me. I moved back home and worked in a variety of jobs. Those experiences helped me figure out what I wanted – Monday to Friday office role.

I applied for an admin job at Robinsons with no previous office experience and was lucky enough to get it.

Although I found it challenging at first, I kept learning and took every opportunity to move between departments, including contracts, accounts and sales admin.

I was then offered a temporary Executive Assistant role, which became permanent.

It’s not a role I ever imagined doing when I left school, but it’s shown me that confidence grows with experience.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that growth doesn’t come from staying in your comfort zone.

Lean into the unknown, embrace new opportunities, and learn from every experience because there really is no wrong path.

I went on to study Rural Business Management at SRUC, with the aim of becoming a Rural Surveyor.

Although I enjoyed parts of the course, I soon realised it focused more on business than the areas I was most interested in. After completing my HND, I wasn’t quite sure what came next.

I worked in a range of jobs, from milking cows and smoking lamb to working behind a bar, before joining Robinsons as a Design Administrator.

Looking back, it probably makes perfect sense. Ever since I was about 10 years old, I’d spend hours building and designing things on Minecraft. I just didn’t realise back then that there was a career that would let me use those same skills.

If I could give one piece of advice to anyone collecting their results this week, it would be to make the most of every opportunity and play to your strengths. You don’t need to have everything figured out straight away – sometimes it just takes a bit of time to find what you genuinely enjoy.

Good luck to everyone receiving their results this week!

During that year, I came across a paid apprenticeship in Accountancy.

I applied, got the role and quickly realised I’d found something I genuinely enjoyed.

That apprenticeship only lasted a year, but instead of going back to university, I decided to continue working while studying.

I completed my AAT before going on to qualify as a Chartered Management Accountant through CIMA.

Looking back, choosing to earn while I learned gave me experience I never would have gained in a classroom.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that some of the best opportunities aren’t the ones you plan for.

Stay curious, ask questions and don’t be afraid to try something different.

After leaving school, I studied Business and Finance at the University of Strathclyde while working evenings and weekends in Santander’s customer service team.

During my degree, I also completed a summer placement in London with Mace, giving me my first experience of working as a Quantity Surveyor.

That experience confirmed it was the career I wanted to pursue, so I went on to complete a Master’s in Quantity Surveying at Heriot-Watt University.

Like many people, my plans were disrupted during COVID, and alongside my studies I spent time delivering pizzas for Domino’s.

Looking back, every job taught me something, whether it was dealing with customers, managing my time or simply learning the value of hard work.

After graduating, I joined Mace’s graduate scheme in London and spent five years developing my career, eventually becoming a Chartered Quantity Surveyor.

Around 16 months ago, I came full circle and returned to Robinsons.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that every experience has value.

Whether it’s a summer job, a placement, a part-time role or your first graduate position, every step teaches you something that helps you in the next.

After a short time, I moved into the motor trade. It was a natural step, as I’d always had an interest in anything with an engine and a passion for motorsport.

Fourteen years later, I moved to the Middle East, where I spent two years working at an international school.

When I returned to Dumfries, I joined Robinsons as a Field Salesman, carrying out site visits for more complex projects.

Over the years, I’ve progressed through the business and now work as Group Sales Manager.

This August, I’ll celebrate 13 years with Robinsons.