Wrestling fanatic Connor has turned his passion into a career path. An aspiring writer and stunt coordinator, he has recently completed a Film and Media degree through the NESCol and RGU Degree Link pathway.

Connor Young (22) from Aberdeen has loved wrestling since he was a little kid.

He said, “Me and my brother watched WWE on TV every single week and even as he grew out of it, I never seemed to let it go.”

Connor’s dad took him to his first professional wrestling event in 2015. Experiencing the matches in person was a turning point and he knew it was something he wanted to do.

Just a week after his 14th birthday, he became the first member of WrestleZone Scotland’s new youth classes – and later, the first to graduate.

What started as a hobby has shaped Connor’s career ambition: working as a writer and stunt coordinator in the film industry.

Studying media

Connor studied both National 5 and Higher Media at Portlethen Academy. While considering his next steps, his guidance teacher suggested the RGU Degree Link pathway at NESCol.

He said, “I could study media for two years at college, followed by another two years at RGU to obtain an honours degree. It seemed like a well-paced option to progress with my studies.”

In 2022, Connor joined the HND Media & Communications: Production course.

He said, “I really enjoyed my time in the TV studio working on practical projects such as documentaries and falling back in love with video editing. I was introduced to the different Adobe editing programmes and became obsessed with the editing process.

“It was also cool getting a shot in the radio studio and practising recording a live radio set using the mixing board.

“These facilities were a joy to be in, and we could use for both assessments and personal projects – they were at our disposal. This also goes for the loan store, as it was really easy to book out equipment.”

Connor praised the support he received at college and described how having his lecturers on hand for support helped to reduce stress.

He added, “The teaching was really solid. My course leader Evelyn was very kind and supportive when it came to class questions and assessments.”

College experience

Connor explained that personal development was one of the most valuable aspects of his college experience.

He said, “What I enjoyed most was having the opportunity to come out of my shell, meet new people and build my confidence socially, while also learning about an industry that I am passionate about.

“I was a really shy kid growing up. During my two years at NESCol, I was able to meet like-minded people, and my confidence just grew and grew from there. I wouldn’t be nearly as confident within myself both socially and with my work if it wasn’t for my time at NESCol.

“I would definitely recommend choosing NESCol as a place to further your learning as it was a great couple of years.”

Studying at university

After completing his HND, Connor progressed straight into third year of a BA (Hons) Film and Media degree. Two years later and he is preparing to graduate!

He said, “My uni experience was stressful, yet super rewarding and fun. The difficulty of the modules and assessments was a step up, but the foundation I built at NESCol allowed me to tackle the degree.

“Like college, I met a lot of amazing people and now long-term friends, and I have a base network of people I can work with and produce film projects with.

“The lecturers were also fantastic and very helpful in finding us opportunities like hands-on industry experience and even potential job roles.”

Balancing wrestling and studying

Connor has continued wrestling throughout his studies, including participating in live shows.

He said, “I’ve had the privilege to perform in front of sold-out crowds and even share backstage areas with former WWE wrestlers who have shared their knowledge with us as the younger generation trying to break into the industry.”

However, juggling an intense hobby with his studies at university wasn’t always easy.

He said, “There were multiple occasions when burnout took over and the stress of prioritising one thing against the other was overwhelming.

“Thankfully, wrestling allowed me to be flexible and focus on my degree, as ultimately, that is where my future lies.

“I was able to maintain a healthy balance of finishing my honours degree while also getting to escape into the world of professional wrestling at the weekend.”

Next steps

Connor’s dedication to his future career has been clear since school, so it’s no surprise he remains focused on achieving his ambitions.

He said, “I am now looking to get as much experience and work on as many projects as possible.

“I plan to keep writing screenplays and trying to pitch them to be adapted to film. I am also seeking an opportunity to work as a stunt coordinator on short films based in Scotland to build up my portfolio and break into the industry.

“I have already had some interest and projects pending from classmates who I have become close friends with.”

Connor’s advice

Connor said, “For anyone following in my footsteps, the best advice I can give is to simply attack things head on.

“I have a very tricky mind. There were times when I nearly called it quits and didn’t think I could achieve this degree. I turned work in late, procrastinated, had writer’s block, and faced a lot of bad days.

“However, even when things seem to be going completely downhill, you will have an unbelievable support system around you in the form of lecturers, course leaders and fellow classmates.

“Do the opposite of me and get assessments started as early as possible! And, in all seriousness, try your best to have fun, enjoy the journey and not get caught up on the destination. Be kind to yourself and those around you who are going through the same experiences.”

He added, “You don’t have to be perfect to take on further education and achieve a degree that may seem impossible to get – because there is no such thing as perfect!”

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