Alumni Spotlight - Melissa Locke
“I honestly cannot fault the staff at UHI Perth, I always felt supported.”
If you’re looking to gain valuable inspiration, experience, connections, and knowledge of Music Business, our degree will get you ready to forge your own path in this vibrant industry.
Having graduated from the course last year, Melissa gave us an insight into what the course was like and told us why she wanted to pursue a career in this industry 🎶
Can you introduce yourself?
Hi, I’m Melissa Locke and I'm from Glasgow!
What course did you study at UHI Perth?
I studied the Music Business Honours degree and graduated with a first-class honours in 2025.
How did you hear about UHI Perth?
I had been studying at Glasgow Kelvin College to complete my HND and the UHI Perth Music Business lecturers came to do a talk at the college about options to study further than HND level at UHI Perth. The university was linked with Glasgow Kelvin as a partnership, so we were aware of UHI during first year.
What were you doing before you came to UHI Perth?
I was working part-time as a manager in McDonalds and full-time in college completing my HND.
Why did you decide to pick this course?
When I left school, I was between two courses, music and law. I had wanted to study law to become a copyright lawyer, however after completing first year of my Scots law degree, I found the HNC Music Business course. I have always loved music I’ve played flute since I was 11 and singing was my first job, so I knew that I wanted to work in music but just not as a performer. This course allowed me to get a relevant qualification to use in the industry with practical experience, it was the best of both worlds!
What was your favourite thing about the course?
Honestly there wasn't much I didn't enjoy! The course really focusses on practical tasks which are beneficial to anyone looking to work in the music scene. My favourite modules were the creative honours project and the professional development module.
Were there any standout/memorable moments from your course?
I was really proud of my creative honours project and being able to co-ordinate a series of live sessions and host my own classical music event. It was a great showcase even for myself to see how many skills I had developed, and even performing myself! This was a massive accomplishment as if you would have told me that in first year, I wouldn't have believed you.
Did you have any guest speakers throughout your course?
We were really lucky and often had visitors coming in to talk to us. Some of the most memorable ones include ⬇️
Denise Alan - Manager of Glasvegas
Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA)
Wez Saunders - owner of Defected (music label for house music, big events in Ibiza)
Did you undertake a placement or work experience whilst at UHI Perth?
We were very fortunate and undertook a lot of placements during our degree. I had around five placements, which were not compulsory, but I felt benefitted me immensely.
I volunteered at the Scottish Album of the Year Awards (SAY), run by the Scottish Music Industry Association, working as an artist liaison over two days (the pre-show day and awards night) at Stirling Albert Halls. I worked with an incredible team and connected with judges, artists and members of the production team, which helped me develop my networking skills and gain insight into how events are run. I also learned a lot from shadowing event manager Hillary Goodfellow, which gave me valuable insight into my future career.
Another placement was at Glasgow City Halls as an Assistant Stage Manager for the CREATE Christmas concerts. This let me use the skills I learned at the SAY Awards and to run two sold out nights in a large-scale Glasgow venue. This was also a nice ‘full circle’ moment as I used to play in the concerts myself, so it was nice to be on the production team to help others have their moment.
What did you think about the styles of teaching, and the support you received from staff?
I honestly cannot fault the staff at UHI Perth, I always felt supported. I had a few IT issues with my own laptop, and my lecturers were great in helping me through the stress of it.
What did you like about the campus/facilities?
The campus itself is stunning; it’s definitely not something you would get in Glasgow! I used the recording studio and the tech is amazing. The library space is also great and never feels overcrowded which I enjoyed.
Were there any other achievements you gained, on your journey?
I was awarded Music Business Graduate of the Year, which was a really lovely way to end my journey, and I was grateful to my lecturers for nominating me, especially as someone who really didn’t know if they were capable of graduating. It just goes to show if you’re hard-working and determined you can.
Upon starting your course, did you have a clear idea of the career path you wanted to follow after UHI Perth?
When I first started, I was interested in tour management, however, this did change quite frequently as I gained experience in job placements and discovered what else was out there.
Since graduating, where have you been working?
I currently work part-time in the O2 Academy in Glasgow as a Bar Supervisor, which is something I enjoy as it keeps me close to music. I have been working at bars and merchandise stalls at festivals and stadiums to expand my network – and for a free gig!
You have just finished a graduate internship with the Marketing Team at UHI Perth, how did you hear about this opportunity and how have you found the experience?
I heard about the internship through my lecturer and applied online with my CV and cover letter. The experience has been invaluable, the team have been amazing to work with, and I’ve gained a wealth of experience during my time with the marketing team. Unlike some internships I have had in the past, I’ve always been treated as an equal and given a fair share of the responsibility with assisting with the open days, social media, website content, attending meetings and student events and general administrative duties. All of which have helped me put to practise what I learned in my degree and other placements.
I have also learned about working in a professional environment and how to hold myself in professional settings which is important as music won’t be just bars and halls. I’ll be able to apply a lot of what I learned in future jobs, even with basic stuff like admin, it’s important to know how to manage that alongside all the other tasks you have to complete. My time and project management has definitely been strengthened.
The biggest thing I feel I've improved on though is my confidence, from not really feeling comfortable at open days, to now being able to confidently hold myself whilst visiting schools and speaking to prospective students. I feel I’ve grown a lot.
Where would you like to go with your career in the future?
The dream is still Tour Management as I love travelling; however, I think the next step would be to get some more experience in marketing and promotion, build my network in Glasgow, and go from there.
Did you enjoy studying at UHI Perth? Any highlights?
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at UHI Perth. It’s such a welcoming environment and the campus is great!
What advice would you give to someone thinking about studying at UHI Perth?
As someone who wasn’t sure about going back into another degree at university level after a bad experience in one, I know it’s incredibly daunting to start something new. My advice? Absolutely go for it, even if you think there’s no way you can do it, if I can, you absolutely can! It might not be easy, but it’ll definitely be worth it – good luck!
