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Two chance encounters led Patryk Jaworski first to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ Leicester (²ÝÁñÊÓƵ) and then to his dream job with a local record label.

Completing 25 job applications and five interviews after graduating from Creative Music Technology this summer, Patryk finally secured his dream job at Leicester-based Sonic Wax Records – an underground vinyl soul music record label owned by DJ Lee Jeffries.

The 31-year-old from Poland said: “I was feeling pretty disappointed with my job search until I got a call from Lee about this job. I met him when I worked part-time at his bottling factory as a student and I didn’t know about his background as a DJ at first.

“We got on really well and when he found out what I was studying he said that he would hire me when he set up his own label. I had no idea that it would actually happen and that the timing would be so perfect. It feels like a miracle to me.”

As a sound technician, one of Patryk’s roles is to take tracks recorded by artists in the studio and mix and master them to sound like they were released in the 1960s and 1970s.

“Back then they didn’t have the great equipment that we have now, so I’ve done a lot of research into how they did things so I can apply the correct filters to the tracks and degrade the vocals to sound authentic,” he said.

Patryk is also responsible for maintaining the back end of the company’s website and evaluating the studio’s equipment, as well as live-streaming regular shows which combine DJ sets and reviews to boost record sales.

He said: “It’s so great to work with people who know the industry so well and to have access to some really rare records. I can also use the studio to work on my own music, which is amazing.

“This is all I’ve ever wanted to do and thanks to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ I was prepared when I finally got the opportunity to do it. I use the skills I learned on my degree every single day.”

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It was another chance encounter that led Patryk to ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ. When he arrived in London 10 years ago, he struggled to make ends meet working various jobs while pursuing his passion to become an MC.

One of his jobs was recording highlight videos at concerts, which is where he met someone studying music at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ. They hit it off and Patryk was invited to Leicester to check out the university’s facilities.

“I never even knew that studying music technology was an option. When I went and saw the campus and the facilities, I was so impressed and I knew it was what I wanted to do,” he said.

What he lacked in qualifications, Patryk made up for in enthusiasm and he was accepted onto ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ’s Music Technology Foundation Degree, which is delivered at Leicester College over two years. He then progressed onto the final year of his degree at ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ’s campus.

He said: “I’m so grateful that ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ gave me a chance to prove myself.

“The degree provides a really solid foundation in music, from making it to the business side of it. My tutors became my friends and the support from ²ÝÁñÊÓƵ even after you graduate is fantastic.

“The biggest advantage of going to university is that I’m not afraid about not getting ahead anymore. I now know how to research anything and how to network with people, which are important life skills you can apply to any industry.”