Mum of two, Danielle, returned to NESCol when she was 30 to change her career path and grow her web development and design skills.

32-year-old Danielle Craig grew up in Inverurie with her grandparents and went to school at Inverurie Academy. She first came to NESCol in 2011, where she studied Social Sciences.

After her course, she worked in an administrative role for Aberdeenshire Council for seven years, during which she returned to NESCol to study Higher English part-time at evening classes.

Looking for a job with more opportunity for progression, Danielle started a Graduate Apprenticeship as an Early Learning and Childcare Practitioner in a school nursery in 2019. She was due to return to her apprenticeship after her maternity leave finished but realised that this was her opportunity to make a big career change.

She said: “I’ve always enjoyed working with computers and many of my hobbies involve technology, so it seemed like the perfect time to explore a new path in that direction. Having enjoyed my time previously at NESCol, it was an easy choice to go back.

“After lots of research and reflection, I decided the HND Web Development course was the best fit.”

Changing careers

A career transition from childcare to computing made sense for Danielle.

She said: “I decided a career in technology would be better suited to me and felt it also offered more flexibility for my busy family life with two children.”

Danielle thrived at College, particularly enjoying the variety of subjects covered on her course. The HND in Web Development combines both creative and technical skills, preparing students for the evolving digital world.

She said: “I loved that the course covered a broad range of topics, from animation and graphic design to programming. The industry has so many different aspects and this gave me the chance to explore and try new things.

“The lecturers were also great – always so friendly, supportive and were able to share their own industry experiences.

“In terms of course work, I enjoyed the final graded unit where we had to design and create a website for a client. My client was starting up a new business so we got to work on their branding which was fun.”

College as an adult returner

Danielle felt she was prepared to return to education after her maternity leave, as she had studied as part of her Graduate Apprenticeship. However, she was apprehensive about how she would fit in with her classmates.

She said: “At 30, I was initially concerned that I’d be the oldest one on the course, and that I’d be the only girl since the industry tends to be more male dominated. Thankfully the class was a good mix of genders and ages, so it worked out well.

“Overall, it was a great experience with a relaxed atmosphere that doesn’t feel like you’re stuck in a classroom.”

Future plans

Danielle graduated from NESCol at the Music Hall on 2 October. She has since progressed to the third year of the BSc (Hons) Digital Media degree at Robert Gordon University (RGU).

Thinking about her future career, Danielle is keeping her options open.

She said: “I’m not entirely sure where I see myself in the future yet – there are so many directions this industry can take you.

“I’ve had a few ideas about what I might do but I’m going to wait and see what opportunities RGU presents.”

Danielle’s advice to those looking to return to education?

“I say go for it. College is a great opportunity to learn valuable skills and knowledge in a supportive environment.

“I’ve had a great experience every time I’ve studied at NESCol. It’s an excellent place to study.”