This week, as exam results are opened across Scotland, we will be sharing the stories from members of the MCR Pathways team who have met their own hurdles, twists and turns to get to where they are today.
In line with the Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) #NoWrongPath campaign across social media this week, we want to reassure young people who may not have received the results they wanted that there’s no one way for success to look, and there’s no wrong path to reaching your goals.
Pivotal to the campaign sharing stories that show everyone has a different story and a different journey, which is okay because there’s #NoWrongPath.
“I had no idea what I wanted to do when I left school. It’s safe to say I would never have seen myself doing what I am doing now back then,” says Gary Seath, Strategic Communications Lead at MCR Pathways. “I could’ve done much better with my exams. I was focused on pursuing professional football at the time, and when I got badly injured, it was time for a plan B.
“I started my plan B at Fife College to study Hospitality Management. I knew hospitality wasn’t for me but, having received some great advice before starting at college, I knew it could be a springboard to go onto other things through something called ‘articulation’. so I used my HND to progress to University. I went on to earn two degrees: one in Consumer Studies from Queen Margaret University and another in Popular Music Performance from the University of the Highlands and Islands.
“For me, the most challenging part was yet to come. Despite having two degrees, I couldn’t get a job. Applying for many starter-level jobs and hearing that I lacked experience was really disappointing. It was also disheartening. My key advice here is to never give up, continue believing in yourself, and keep going – things will change. Perseverance is key.
“Since then, I have worked as a music instructor in primary schools, and have supported research into music and emotional intelligence. I was a Community and Partnerships Officer at Edinburgh Napier University. I’ve also held numerous roles in marketing, communications, and development, primarily for charities. I’ve even spent five years in the Army Reserve.
“I don’t think I could do my current role without the experiences mentioned. Having qualifications is important; that’s for sure. Mindset, commitment, resilience and passion have to match whatever you have on paper. There’s never been a greater set of pathways open to young people than right now. My advice is to be bold and courageous. Explore as much as you can. Don’t let disappointment hold you back. Dream big and stay on your chosen path. The experiences you gain will help you reach your potential and, in many ways, signpost you along the way without realising it.”
“I definitely haven’t had the smoothest of journeys to get to where I am today,” says Claire Elliot, Communications and Fundraising Time to Shine Leader at MCR Pathways. “I’ve suffered from anxiety from a young age, but it wasn’t so much of a recognised thing back then. When I was 15, I started to have panic attacks every day before leaving for school – which then led to me dropping out as soon as I was able to. This happened in the January of my 4th year at high school, meaning I left school with no highers and not much of a plan.
“I went on to work in retail for a year while I decided what I wanted to do, before settling on going to college to get my highers and trying to get into uni. However, that didn’t go so smoothly either. My second year of college, my mental health worsened again and I was actually kicked off of the course for poor attendance. I returned the next year though, and managed to get a place on the BA Society, Politics and Policy course at the University of the West of Scotland.
“Uni was a much better time for me. But I realised pretty quickly that my heart didn’t lie in politics. I stayed through till the end of my course and graduated, but didn’t have much idea what I wanted to do afterwards. I ended up taking a job in a call centre, where I worked for a year before deciding I wanted to return to University. I had always enjoyed reading and writing, and felt myself drawn to Journalism as a career. I had written this off when I was younger, as I thought Politics would be more employable but this time I decided to follow my heart, and was accepted onto the Multimedia Journalism Masters at Glasgow Caledonian University.
“That Journalism course is what led me here, to MCR Pathways. Here, I primarily work in communications – something which a journalism degree qualifies me to do! That’s something I don’t think young people are told enough – that some qualifications can lead you into jobs that you wouldn’t think that they could. I know someone who studied Sports Science who is now in the Police, someone who dropped out of Aeronautical Engineering and is now a Mechanic, someone who first studied Primary Teaching and is now a Journalist! The first choices you make in what you pursue as a career, or what you study, are always an important stepping stone – but rarely are actually where you end up.
“I used to resent how long it took me to gain my high school qualifications and get to uni. I felt like I was falling behind my peers, and I wished that I had just sucked it up and stayed in school. However, as I’ve gotten older I no longer wish that. School just wasn’t for me, college and university suited me much better. And actually, now I’m grateful for the long and twisting path that’s led me here. I had so many experiences I wouldn’t otherwise have had, and I’ve met so many people that I’d never have known.
“My advice to young people receiving their results this week would be to remember that there’s always another way. Your results really don’t define you. What defines you is your ability to take a knock, get back up and work out what the next step forward is. I cannot stress enough how much there really is no wrong path, just different ways of getting to where you want to be – and think of all the people you’ll meet and experiences you’ll have along the way.”
There’s still time for everyone involved with MCR Pathways to get involved to inspire and reassure young people – from young people, mentors, trustees, partners, and wider supporters.
From Monday 4th – Friday 8th August 2025, tell us your name, what you did when you left school and what you do now. Print out and fill in the #NoWrongPath 2025 template below, and post a photo of you holding it to marketing.comms@mcrpathways.org
Download the template – https://www.dyw.scot/uploads/1/0/5/5/105538585/nowrongpath_24_-_printable_participation_template.pdf
