UI/ UX Designer & Engineer at Payscale.
June 2012.
In S4 I achieved Standard Grades/ Intermediate 2s (SCQF level 5) in Art & Design, Maths, English, French, Business Management and Physics.
I left school after finishing S5 with Highers (SCQF level 6) in Computing and Modern Studies.
I had an interest in websites/ applications from a young age, especially growing up during a time where these became more prevalent and advanced every year. It was at High School I discovered it was possible to have a career in developing them. While contemplating subjects for S6, I saw the opportunity to continue this path at Fife College, and I was offered a place there where I studied Interactive Media, incorporating website design and development.
At Stirling High School, I actually had the opportunity of helping with the school website as an extra-curricular activity, which was a perfect experience for the line of work I wanted to pursue. It gave me my first hand experience of working on websites and helped teach me how to work to deadlines while also taking requests from staff which were very beneficial skills to have. I also had the opportunity during the school's work-experience week to go to a local business who offered website design/development and gain experience and knowledge from them. Working for this company during the work-experience week obviously gave me some experience of working in an office doing this position, however it also gave me useful contacts in this business. I actually later returned to work for this company a few years after graduating college, working with them for over 4 years.
Problem solving and planning are probably the biggest skills I have developed and are very beneficial ones to have, not only in work. My job revolves around creating and delivering user experiences that meet many different criteria and also take into account standards such as accessibility, so a lot of planning and problem solving is required to create a solution that is suitable for these.
Self-learning is one I have improved over the years and I think is very important for anyone. Learning new skills or improving older ones can be beneficial in your current job but also for new positions. Also, my line of work is constantly evolving and changing, with new trends, features and hardware being released, so it's always important to keep on top of these too.
Stop putting so much pressure on yourself! The path you are meant to take will become clear eventually and it doesn't have to be the traditional/ stereotypical one. Be yourself and find the path that works for you.
I think one thing to note is that you're never stuck in your career you choose. If you decide to move on, whether it be just to a new company or into a new position/ expertise, go for it!
