Chapel High Alumni

Beth Shields

Class of 2018

What did you do when you left school?

I studied a BTEC Level 3 in Animal Management at Macclesfield College as well as partaking in work experience at an animal rehabilitation and rescue centre and a veterinary practice. I then proceeded to get Triple Distinction * in my college qualification which allowed me to enter the BSc Honours Animal Biology degree at Nottingham Trent University where I am preparing for my final year.

How did you decide what you wanted to do? Who or what influenced/helped you?

During my time at Chapel High School the whole science department influenced me in my passion for deciding to study animal biology. The support I received from Mrs Robertson and Mrs Dunn in triple science showed me how what we were studying in biology applied to the animal industry as well as human biology. Mrs Davies and the Careers Advisor also supported me in my time at high school, showing me the different fields and paths to choose from in order to study animals once I left high school.

Please tell us about your current role:

I am currently employed at Morrisons as well as being a support worker for a young person with autism within the Nottinghamshire area. Although my current job roles are not directly linked to my degree, they aid me financially with my studies and by providing me with experience in different job roles. My work experience provided me with vital skills, such as working in a medical environment and a rescue environment.

How did you get into this type of study/work?

Throughout high school I was made aware of the different animal industries in the nearby areas so I knew where to contact in order gain work experience. During my time working at a veterinary practice I was trained by the leading veterinary surgeon in the principles of animal care and surgery techniques. My time at an animal rehabilitation and rescue centre provided me with an insight into this industry and my passion grew for working with rescue animals and rehabilitation.

What is the best thing about your current role?

Throughout my work experience the best thing was being able to work with a variety of different animal species and work in a variety of environments such as a medical environment, farm environment and charity environment. I enjoyed the experience as I could choose from multiple roles – this allowed me to find out what I would like to pursue as a career as well as the areas I didn't enjoy as much.

What advice would you give students who are thinking about their next steps after school?

My advice would be to research industries in the nearby area so you are familiar with possible work experience opportunities. Talk to your Careers Advisor about the variety of job roles within a broad industry. For me I originally wanted to be a veterinary nurse as I was not aware of the variety of opportunities, but my Careers Advisor helped to show me the different job roles within the animal industry. Contact local industries after your GCSEs so that you can complete some work experience over the summer. The more work experience you have, the better your understanding of the industry and what you would like to do in the future.