Extract year from string format of date

[Selvam Raman]

Spark Version : 1.5.0


Record:
01-Jan-16

Expected Result:
2016

I used the below code which is shared in user group.

from_unixtime(unix_timestamp($"Creation Date","dd-MMM-yy"),"YYYY"))

is this right approach or do we have any other approach.

NOTE:
i tried *year() *function but it gives only null values for the string same
for *to_date()* function.
-- 
Selvam Raman
"லஞ்சம் தவிர்த்து நெஞ்சம் நிமிர்த்து"