Course you can! Glasgow Clyde College renames courses to match young people’s dream careers

Need help becoming a YouTuber, high-flying entrepreneur or influencer? These are the top-rated dream jobs of young people in Scotland identified by a survey carried out by Glasgow Clyde College.

Almost a third of young Scots (32%) want to follow in the footsteps of online A-Listers like KSI to be a professional YouTuber while a quarter (27%) place social media influencer at the top of the list when asked what they’d consider as a dream job. 

But the study also found that two fifths of 16-24 year olds (38%) have no idea how to become qualified for these glamourous professions so Glasgow Clyde College has taken the unique step of renaming its courses to match with a list of ultimate occupations – showing potential students what to study to learn the necessary skills.

Whether it’s a celebrity make-up artist, vaccine maker, pastry chef or even an MI6 spy, the roles young people aspire towards may be surprising but by creatively renaming its course offering, Glasgow Clyde College is hoping to turn these fantasy careers into a reality for the next generation.

Media, journalism and TV has been temporarily retitled to ‘How to be a Youtuber’. ‘Access to HND Business’ has been traded for ‘How to be an Entrepreneur’ and ‘How to be a music producer’ is the new name for ‘NQ Introduction to Sound Production’.  This will be music to the ears of wannabe turntablists and beatmakers– while offering hope to the 64% of Scots lacking confidence they will ever achieve these lofty ambitions. 

Subjects like fashion communication and sports and fitness have been paired with the most attractive careers to young people including ‘celebrity photographer’ and ‘sports coach’- simplifying the selection and searching process. 

The study also revealed that less than a fifth of the entire Scottish population are working in their dream job, as over a quarter (27%) admit they don’t know where to start when it comes to a career change although over half (52%) would consider going to college or university if it could make their dreams come true.  

John Rafferty, Deputy Principal at Glasgow Clyde College, said:

“We want all young people to strive for their dreams, but we know that the journey to get there can sometimes be daunting and challenging. Whether it’s because you just don’t know where to start, or you feel like it’s a step out of your comfort zone, with Glasgow Clyde College, you can.

“By matching course names with young people’s dream jobs, we’re opening a world of possibility to anyone studying at the college.”

The term ‘dream job’ has also seen a 23% rise in online searches since 2021 and innovative career choices are on the rise overall, according to Google trend data. There has been a steady increase of UK searches of ‘how to be a youtuber’ and ‘how to be become an influencer’ over the last five years. 

Continuing, John Rafferty said:

“It’s interesting to see the careers which young people aspire to. We live in an ever-changing world, with jobs and roles evolving all the time, and our courses can equip young people with the tools to enter the workforce with confidence, so no occupation is too ambitious. Make 2023 the year to start your dream career, with our courses starting in January.”

Glasgow Clyde College has a range of courses that start in January.

To find out more, visit https://www.glasgowclyde.ac.uk/fulltime