A DJ event organised by a Port Glasgow student as part of her college course proved so successful it’s become a regular fixture on the Glasgow music scene.

Julie Alexander (30) had to arrange an event as part of her High National Certificate (HNC) Events course at James Watt College.

She said: “I chose to organise an event entitled ‘Grooves’, with the aim of promoting house music DJs in Glasgow. It was a brilliant experience and I had to organise everything from start to finish myself, including finding a venue, carrying out risk assessments, delivering staff briefings, hiring the DJs, organising the tickets and flyers and promoting the event itself. It was the first full event I have organised on my own so it was a little stressful, however I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and it is great to look back and say ‘I did that’.

“Although this event was part of my coursework, it was so successful that ‘Grooves’ has carried on and I have now organised five more events at different venues throughout Glasgow.

Julie, pictured with DJ Kevin Hoodless, added: “I had been working in clubs since I was 18 and decided I wanted to take the next step into events management. I enrolled on the HNC Events course and have thoroughly enjoyed it, the best part being the hands-on, practical experience I have gained.”

Julie continued: “I also had the opportunity to work with Scottish Autism through the Education into Enterprise project at the college and organise an event to coincide with World Autism Day. I organised a ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’ at a local primary school which was a great experience for me, from liaising with the local council and head teacher to organising competitions and prizes.

“I have now finished the course at James Watt College and am progressing on to the Events Management Degree at the University of the West of Scotland. Completing the HNC at the college has allowed me to move directly into the second year of the degree which is another huge benefit to this course.”

The HNC Events course is again being offered at James Watt College from August. It equips students with the skills and knowledge necessary to enable them to successfully prepare and organise events. Students will learn about, health and safety, budgeting and funding, sponsorship, marketing, information technology and legislation. Students will also benefit from work experience, putting the knowledge gained in the classroom straight into practice, applying it directly to organising their own event.

Beverley Hardie, lecturer at James Watt College, said: “If you’re interested in pursuing a career in events, whether it is about organising corporate events, large music events, charity fundraisers, wedding planning or even for involvement in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, then this course will allow you to learn all the behind the scenes work to ensure that your event is a successful one.”

For more information on the courses at James Watt College, call 01475 724433 or visit www.jameswatt.ac.uk. The college is also holding an information day on Thursday 9 August between 2pm and 7pm.