“It’s ok if your career is wiggly. Mine certainly was but I’m thankful and proud of it.”

When Jamie first stepped onto a university campus, he was one of the few in his family to do so. Coming from a working-class background, university was seen as more about securing a job at the end; “You get a degree, you get a good job, that was the narrative,” Jamie explains. But over time, and after a few unexpected turns, Jamie discovered that success and career paths aren’t always linear.

“Everyone’s journey is different, and I want to help people feel seen and supported. If you come from a working-class background, you often don’t know how to maximise the opportunities available at college and university, compared to students who have come from families with more higher education experiences.” says Jamie.

Jamie’s journey started with a degree in Product Design from Glasgow Caledonian University, but after graduating in 2010, he was faced with a challenging job market and the inevitable ‘what’s next?’

“There wasn’t much guidance. I just threw my portfolio out there and hoped for the best. Back then, I didn’t think to ask about things like employability or placement opportunities, or even what to ask to access this information.” he recalls. A chance connection led him to a furniture design job in Spain – his first real step into the professional design world. Though the role was different from what he’d imagined “it wasn’t furniture design like I imagined, it was a lot of CAD work”, it broadened his skills. Still, it wasn’t quite the breakthrough he hoped for.

Back in Scotland, Jamie freelanced before landing a product developer role in fast fashion which would unfortunately become a toxic working environment for Jamie to thrive in. “Long hours, low pay, unsupportive working culture. It was really damaging to my health. I put up with it for so long because I was brought up to believe that a ‘job is a job’ to pay the bills and not necessarily something to enjoy. Eventually though, I gathered courage and made the decision to leave and start over.”

This experience led to a turning point in Jamie’s career. He had been doing small graphic design projects for friends on the side for a while by this point, “I realised I’d always enjoyed graphic design, and decided to pursue it properly.” He went back to college in Glasgow, which eventually led to Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, where he would go on to achieve a degree in Graphic Design. This time, everything felt different.

“I made the most of every opportunity,” he says. While studying, he worked as a design officer at the Centre for Entrepreneurship, while also taking on placements, and working part-time at a marketing agency. “By the time I graduated, I already had a job lined up. By applying for a job vacancy ahead of graduating as well as making the most of the support and guidance available at DJCAD. It felt very different from my first undergraduate experience. I finally felt like a more rounded graduate designer, and now I had a portfolio of work to show for it.”

Jamie is especially passionate about challenging the myth of the “straight line” career. “When we’re students universities often show only the big graduate success stories – someone goes straight from graduation to a top agency or even opens their own studio.” he explained. “Those are of course amazing achievements, but often out of reach to most design graduates.” Through student mentoring and speaking engagements Jamie makes a point to let new designers know about the early stages of his career, the part-time jobs, things that didn’t work out.

“It’s not about comparing yourself to others. It’s about finding your own rhythm, your own values, and building something that works for you. Every step taught me something new and it’s important for young people to know that there is no single ‘right’ way to be a designer or work within the creative sector.”

“I finally made the leap to full-time freelancing in October 2021. It was scary, but it’s been the best job I’ve ever had.”

Since launching his freelance design practice, he’s been consistently busy designing for biotech companies, ethical start-ups, local vets, and even a mobile football game. “I love working with clients who have purpose. I’m drawn to those with a strong ethos, supporting accessibility, sustainability, and community” he explains. “I’m also passionate about amplifying voices, especially from LGBTQ+ communities. Everyone’s story matters and design can help tell that story.”

That passion extends to education. Jamie recently returned to DJCAD to speak to students, offer mentoring, and assess student work. “If I’d had that kind of representation when I was younger, I would’ve known it was OK not to have it all figured out. Now I want to be that person for someone else.”

Looking ahead, Jamie hopes to move into part-time teaching alongside his freelance work and works as a Freelance Educator at V&A Dundee Design Museum. “I’d love to help demystify what it means to be a designer, especially for students who feel overwhelmed. You don’t need to move to London or work for a Silicon Valley tech giant to be successful. There are so many valid paths and many of them start locally in Dundee.”

Jamie’s career hasn’t followed a straight line, but for him, that’s what makes it meaningful. “Put yourself out there. Ask for help. Be curious. Be kind to yourself. You might not land a role that perfectly aligns with your expectations right away, but everything you do builds towards something. And it’s OK if your career is wiggly. Mine certainly was and I’m thankful and proud of it.”