Jill Murray

Jill Murray has strong links with the three main higher education institutions in the North East, each playing an important role in her life to date. From beginning her career journey at NESCol, progressing to RGU then going to work at the University of Aberdeen, Jill is positive about the strengths and benefits of each of them.

Jill (38) who lives in Inverurie had her first HE experience after leaving secondary school.  Like many of her peers, Jill was unsure what she wanted to do next and decided to look into the options NESCol had available.  She joined the College on an HND in Communication and the course set her onto the successful career path she is enjoying today, alongside being a Mum to her two young daughters.

Jill said, “I didn’t have enough Highers to get straight into university and to be honest I wasn’t prepared for that jump at the time.  The HND at College was fantastic.  I studied a wide range of units from Advertising and PR, to Marketing and even got to try my hand at Photography.  The variety of the course was great and the hands on; practical nature of the learning really suited me.  I think College is an excellent next step as although you have moved on from school and enjoy learning in an adult environment, the class sizes are still small so you really get to know your fellow students.  Our class bonded so well and we spent time together not just on campus but outside of College too, socialising together and enjoying our new student status.”

Successfully completing her HND allowed Jill to progress into a Corporate Communications BA degree at RGU. Jill also enjoyed her time there and the course but credits her NESCol experience for preparing her.  “I just felt so much better prepared for Uni having been at College.  I don’t know if I would have stuck it out if I’d gone there straight from school to be honest as it is quite a big jump.  My NESCol experience undoubtedly gave me the confidence to manage the demands of the degree. “

After graduating, Jill applied and was successful in securing an admin role in the Events team at the University of Aberdeen.  The next few years saw Jill flourish through her hard work and enthusiasm and her efforts were rewarded with various promotions before becoming Events Manager in 2016.  Jill’s role is corporate facing and she manages the team who deliver a variety of events for the university including festivals, conferences, lectures, VIP visits and most recently, virtual events.

Jill said, “I truly love my role at the university and the people that I work with to deliver the wide range of events that we run.  No two days are the same, and I relish the variety that my job provides.  I have experienced so many memorable moments over the years but some of my favourites have been the royal visits that we have enjoyed from our Chancellor, Camilla, The Duchess of Rothesay and Anne, Princess Royal. “

Jill’s work at the university recently saw her win a Staff Excellence Award for Outstanding Contribution to a Team, which she is very proud of.  “I was really honoured to be nominated by my colleagues; it’s lovely to receive that recognition.  I am passionate about events and thrive on creativity and new ideas and that is something that my time at College gave me the confidence to explore and develop. “