A former Glasgow college student has credited her exam failure for setting her on the path to achieving her dream career.
Stephanie McCartney was only admitted to Glasgow Kelvin College ‘by the skin of her teeth’ after not achieving the exam results she needed for University.
The now 32-year-old has gone on to have an incredible career working with top fashion brands like Gucci, Prada, and Alexander McQueen, but it wasn’t always plain sailing.
Stephanie is highlighting her story ahead of Scottish students receiving their exam results on Tuesday on National Opportunity Day on Wednesday 7 August.
After her first year of college in 2009 didn’t go to plan, Stephanie was told she wouldn’t be allowed to return to her Fashion Design Course. But she believes her now glamourous career could all have been so different if she had not failed her first year of the course – giving her the ‘biggest wakeup call of her life’.
Stephanie, her parents' only child, had to navigate personal challenges when her dad became seriously ill, also diverting her attention away from her studies. However she admits her head was not in the right place before her dad became unwell.
She said: “I was prioritising friends, shopping, and silly things rather than my studies. I was still quite immature. It became even more difficult when my dad became seriously ill. There were a lot of times when I didn't attend because I was trying to be there for him.
“Having to leave Glasgow Kelvin College after just one year was the biggest wakeup call I've ever had. It was the first time someone said, ‘You can't continue, you didn't do enough and it's all over’.
“It was so devastating. The absolute shame and embarrassment of having to tell your parents is something I'll never want to relive. I owe everything to them for giving me a second chance.”
Six months later, the then 17-year-old was given a second chance when lecturers – who knew she was talented but had to apply herself – accepted her application to enter a fashion business course.
With renewed motivation and focus, she excelled second time round, gaining the HNC she needed to get into the final year of the Fashion Management course at Robert Gordon University, which led to a coveted internship at e-commerce giant Net A Porter in London.
She said: “The shock was unbelievable, that little girl who failed before didn’t want to fail anything again in her life. To have that sense of validation was just so overwhelming, I couldn't believe it. It was like one of the most emotional things that's ever happened to me.”
Stephanie’s glamourous London life is now a far cry from Baillieston in Glasgow’s east end where she grew up.
After her internship, Stephanie faced being jobless in Glasgow, but used her experience to secure a role at e-commerce giant Farfetch, before being headhunted to work at the world-renowned Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates.
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Since then, her career has seen her sit across the table from chiefs at luxury fashion houses including Bottega Veneta and develop e-commerce strategies for global brands from Balmain to Rick Owens and Maison Margiela. She is currently Alexander McQueen’s senior worldwide E-Concession and marketplace manager.
Stephanie returned to her former place of study as Glasgow Kelvin College prepares to mark the second National Opportunity Day (NOD). NOD celebrates the opportunities made available through a college education with the inaugural event last year leading to a 528% increase in open-day attendees at the Springburn-based college.
Backing the campaign is renowned Scots business tycoon, Lord Willie Haughey. The founder of City Facilities Management, which employs 9,000 people across Scotland and the UK, attended Springburn College, which is now home to Kelvin’s Springburn Campus, as part of a commercial engineering apprenticeship.
Lord Haughey credits his time at college for ‘setting him up for life’ and is ‘delighted to be supporting’ NOD 2024.
He said: “I am delighted to be supporting National Opportunity Day for a second year, and to see the return of a worthwhile and important campaign. Attending college set me up for life - the skills and confidence I gained there helped me find a direction for my career that worked for me. National Opportunity Day will once again shine a spotlight on the wealth of opportunities available to students through clearing, highlighting the possibilities on offer to people at all ages and stages through a practical and applicable college education.”
Students across Scotland will receive their exam results on Tuesday, August 6. The following day, National Opportunity Day, Glasgow Kelvin College’s Open Day will take place.
There, the college’s support teams will be on hand to help guide visitors through the wide range of subjects and levels available.
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