Mike costello
I grew up in Kirkton in Dundee. I enjoyed sports and mostly remember playing on the football team at Primary School, although Secondary School was quite daunting. I could and should have done much better, but was let down educationally and despite my love of sports couldn’t wait to leave. There weren’t many jobs around when I left school and initially I joined a YTS scheme as an apprentice HGV mechanic. I then had a short period of unemployment before getting a job as a porter in the old DRI. When I was 19 years old I got a job at Michelin and stayed there working on the production line for the next fourteen years.
I was completely bored and knew that I could do a lot more than stand at a machine for the rest of my life. I was hit by the stark realisation that all I was doing was waiting to retire and I felt frustrated by my career prospects. Then I got the opportunity through my company to do some self-development, which I enjoyed. I was daunted but decided to sign up for an evening class at Dundee College and after a year of thinking about it I took the plunge into full-time education. I had completed an NC in Psychology at evening classes then I did a SWAP-East NC course in Business Management and also a few HNC modules. In 2000 I went to the University of Dundee and finished a Master of Arts (Honours) in Economics with Marketing in 2004. It wasn’t easy and it was a major leap to University with a steep learning curve. I also had to work part-time in retail to supplement my income, but I wouldn’t change anything at all.
Stop thinking about it and just do it. You never know what’s around the corner and where you’ll end up...
After I finished my studies I worked in ASDA for a while, then got a job as a trade sales rep before getting a job as the Promotions and Marketing Manager for The Factory Skatepark in Douglas. I now work as a sales advisor at Broxwood (Scotland) Ltd in Perth and have a completely different life and lifestyle. I have realised the potential I had and this has enabled me to feel more confident, fulfilled and expanded my mind. My journey isn’t over.