BSc (Hons) Creative Media Technology student, James McGahey, shares with us his experience studying at Leeds Beckett University and how beneficial his course was for his chosen career.

Course: BSc (Hons) Creative Media Technology 

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you've been doing since you graduated?

Since leaving university, I have worked full-time as a Creative Media Designer at an e-learning design company called Dynamic. I have recently been promoted to Senior Creative Media Designer. I was offered the job after my placement year with the company. 

The opportunity of having a year in the industry allowed me to develop my skills and gain experience ready for my final year and job-ready after graduation. The security of having a full-time position after my third year gave me the confidence to apply myself to any ideas that I had, which helped me to achieve a first-class honors degree. Two years after officially graduating, I am still living in Leeds, working in the e-learning industry, and developing my skills even further.

What have been the highlights and challenges of your career so far? 

The highlights of my career so far has to be working with my current colleagues who have been in the design industry for many years, I learn so much from them. The benefits of working with these people have been useful for my development. Not only have they been influential in my career, but I have also made friends for life along the way. Working for such a well-established e-learning company, I have had the chance to work with clients such as BT, Scottish Water, PVH, and many more. 

One of the biggest challenges of my career so far was the impact of COVID-19 on my third year of university and the security of my job. Working from home was a new challenge for me. Not having that face-to-face learning experience made it difficult for me to adapt to a new working environment. Also, knowing that you could have a job opportunity you had worked so hard for taken away from you was very challenging when I was ready to start my career in the industry.

How has your experience studying at Leeds Beckett influenced you and your career? 

Studying at Leeds Beckett University influenced my career of becoming a Creative Media Designer by teaching me the core skills I needed to succeed within the industry. Before I started university, I had no experience with creative media, but the course guided me over the years to find out what would be best for me. 

Applying for the course was the best thing I did. Having the opportunity to learn new skills, gain experience and work with fantastic tutors has got me to where I am today! Also, having a year out on placement in such a hard-working environment helped me gain the experience I needed to secure a job after university.

What attracted you to study your course? 

Leaving school, I knew I wanted to go to university but had no idea what career path I would take. I visited a Leeds Beckett open day and that showed me the broad range of work that the course has produced over the years, and I was impressed by the development of the students over the three years. Having no background in creative media, the course tutors made me feel at ease and expressed that I could achieve this one day. 

Applying for the course was the best thing I did, having the opportunity to learn new skills, gain experience and work with fantastic tutors has got me to where I am today!

Also, Leeds is not too far from my hometown and is a fantastic place to live. There is a lot of truth to that as I am still living in Leeds after six years of moving here. It has such a great social life, and I constantly find new things to do.

What did you enjoy about your course and what advice would you give someone thinking about studying this course?

I enjoyed applying myself to different media types as it let ne find out what I enjoyed and what direction I wanted in my career. You learn everything you need to know about the industry over the three years and have real-world experiences along the way. 

The advice I would give someone starting this course would be to not be afraid to try new things. All the tutors are so supportive and guide you in the right direction to help you follow the career path best for you. I joined this course knowing nothing about the industry and found my passion for design through trying new things! 

What's next for you?

I see myself continuing to work within the e-learning industry and progressing further in my job role. I want to continue developing the skill sets I already have and gain further industry experience. I plan to stay in Leeds, it’s a new home for me, and I love the city!