Robin Johnson: Journalism BA(Hons) graduate
Robin Johnson, one of BA(Hons) Journalism's first cohorts, is a self-employed writer and photographer who has a varied remit in the live production and musical instrument industries. His work includes features and reviews for both consumer and trade titles and PR work for major manufacturers and service providers.
Robin's working life encompasses virtually every emotion one can think of. It's rewarding, exciting, interesting, frustrating, tedious, fulfilling, fun, annoying, absorbing, infuriating, pleasurable and generally very varied. That variety of emotions at work are, to him, essential for a fulfilling career. He works in an industry that he always wanted to be in and has the bonus of working from home (which he loves) - and none of it would be possible if he hadn't spent that three years at what was then Falmouth College of Arts.
He arrived at Falmouth in his mid-20s while at a career crossroads. Robin was a former Sales Administrator who was bored, restless and not really knowing what he wanted to do with his career. UCF provided him with the tools and inspiration to stick two fingers up at the received wisdom of his peers and do what he really wanted to do. And, ten years since graduating, he hasn't regret it for a moment.
That's not to say it's been easy - self-employment is not for those who want an easy life, lots of holiday or a nice, regular pay packet at the end of every month. In his won words, "The hours are long, the money is generally pretty poor, you often have to fight to actually get paid - it can be pretty tough sometimes. Though it's a great cure for illness - I haven't had a single day off sick since I set up the business."
"But when PAYE employees are grumbling in their suits around the water cooler during a ‘screen break', I'm having mine in jeans and T-shirt, chucking a ball around my garden for my dog."
For Robin, writing for a living is the best job in the world... and it was his time in Falmouth that made it possible.Copyright © 2011 University College Falmouth. All Rights Reserved.
