California dreaming: Career success for Fife man in the US

Barry Young, who attended Kirkcaldy High, mainly lived in Dunnikier Estate and Chapel when he was a teenager.

After high school, he went to Napier University and studied electronic engineering. After graduating, he worked in Edinburgh for three years for a software company creating localised versions of software. But his life changed after he applied for a job online for multinational computer software company Adobe which paid for his flight and moving costs to California.

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Barry said: “I am currently the director of engineering for photography products at Adobe. I am responsible for over 100 engineers worldwide making Photoshop Lightroom products.

“I moved to CA in 1998 and worked my way up through management over the years. I’ve been at Adobe for 21 years. The lifestyle, weather and economy are the key benefits of living in Silicon Valley. I can bike to a redwood forest from my house or go run along the beach in Santa Cruz.”

He advised young people in Kirkcaldy to work hard and their efforts will be rewarded: “Young people can achieve whatever they set their minds on.

“Hard work will pay off eventually; there is no easy path to success. Challenge yourself, take advantage of opportunities and never give up. In my leadership talks on management, I often quote the Kirkcaldy High School motto: “Usque conabor” (“I will keep on trying”).