Not Sure What’s Next? Taking a Creative Course Might Surprise You

Sometimes, signing up for a course isn’t just about following a passion. It’s about finding out what you’re good at, what you enjoy and where you might want to go next.

That’s exactly what happened for Billy, who joined our NC Creative Industries-Music course, run in partnership with UHI Shetland. What started as an interest in music, turned into a year of unexpected opportunities, new skills and a real boost in confidence. From performing in front of an audience to discovering a talent for writing and marketing, Billy’s experience shows how these courses can take you places you didn’t expect. Take a look below at how Billy found his course.

Hi! My name is Billy and I’m 19 years old. I haven’t got much of a creative background compared to some of the other students – unless you count my primary school talent show from when I was in Wales in 2017 (dark days) - but I’ve had a deep fascination with music for as long as I can remember and especially the idea of becoming a singer.

I have been on the NC Creative Industries – Music course since August last year (2024). I feel like it’s hard to put into words how much I’ve enjoyed the course. It’s not been without its low points, but I feel coming here was an excellent decision overall.

There are so many things I’ve enjoyed, from making my showreel to writing and recording my own podcast episode, but I think a major highlight had to be the Student Night performances. Not only were they extremely fun, but they’ve helped me gain a significant amount of confidence in my singing ability and helped me manage my stage fright.

Without competition, though, the most interesting moment for me has to be the surprising (but fully welcome) pivot I seem to have taken into writing/reviewing over the time I’ve been here. Early in the course, I was tasked with writing a series of pieces on different genres of music and I consistently got strongly positive feedback on them, which led to me doing marketing work for both the Student Night in April and the Student Showcase in June alongside reviewing the April night for Shetland News. It was a plot twist for me that I didn’t see coming at all, but I’m absolutely here for it!

After the summer, I’m staying on at Mareel to do the HNC Music course. To anyone who’s thinking of doing a course at Mareel, I’d recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone. Doing the NC has given me experiences I’ll never forget and helped me grow a sense of confidence in my singing ability that I’ve never felt before.