Capel Manor College

Christina studied animal management and zoology at Capel Manor College and achieved a higher education qualification.

“I have always known I wanted to study something animal related so I started to look for a college with whom I could complete an animal related course and came across Capel Manor College. The College seemed to offer the most options and when I found out about the foundation degree I thought it was an incredible opportunity that I could not resist.

The course was packed full of interesting topics and exciting trips to various locations. The lecturers were very knowledgeable and enthusiastic which really made it a more enjoyable experience. I particularly enjoyed our trip to the Isle of Man to conduct Cetacean surveys. Having the opportunity to see and learn about whales and dolphins was incredible. The College was lovely with beautiful gardens to walk around at lunchtime and a well stocked library to help with assignments and exams.

I have gained so much knowledge and hands-on experience with animals which has hugely helped me to further my career. My experience at Capel Manor College definitely helped me get to where I am today!

I am currently in Costa Rica completing an Animal Specialist Internship with the Toucan Rescue Ranch; a rehabilitation and release centre which specialises in toucans, owls and sloths. My future goal is to travel around the world working in the field of conservation and gaining more knowledge along the way.”

Ivor studied arboriculture and forestry during his time at Capel Manor College.

“My parents believed it would be good for me to get some experience of being outside of school and so they suggested that I complete a short one year course. I have always been good working with my hands so I knew I had to do something practical, learning a skill or trade. This led me to an arboriculture and forestry course at Capel Manor College.

I have really enjoyed my course, the teaching style benefits me greatly as it is very hands-on and interactive. The tutors are relaxed and help to make a comfortable environment to learn in. The relationship you build with your tutors is much stronger than it could ever be in sixth form and this allows them to understand how we learn as individual students and adapt themselves to teach us in the best way possible.

Capel Manor College as a whole is a great place to study any land-based course they offer. The College has a great campus in Enfield with lots of plants and trees if studying horticulture or arboriculture and even great facilities like a farm for agriculture students. All in all, it has great outdoor facilities to succeed in whatever course you are studying. I have gained confidence in myself to trust what I have learned as everything we are taught gets put to the test when it comes to practicals.”

Tolga’s studies at Capel Manor College began with animal care at Level 2 before he progressed onto a Level 3 course in animal management. Tolga is now a well established conservation biologist, writer, and environmental photojournalist.

“I have always been passionate about the natural world ever since I was a child, travelling between my parent’s countries of Northern Cyprus and Jamaica. I learned to love mountains, forests, oceans, agriculture, and the wild fauna and flora that inhabited those two islands much more than I did with anything else. Although I have admired wild things from a very young age, I never knew that a career could be obtained with wildlife or in nature.

Before starting my studies with Capel Manor College, I was stuck in the career field of electrical engineering which was completely not of interest to me. It was great fortune when I changed careers and stumbled across Capel Manor College. I loved that it was fairly local to me, that I met all of the entry requirements, and that the course content looked very exciting. My time at the College built the important foundations that over time have exposed me to a very rewarding career journey.

The Animal Care (Level 2) course was amazing as it allowed me to learn so many things I never ever dreamed of learning such as animal biology, gave me the ability to make new friends who were just as passionate as I was about animals and also to undertake work experience. While I was studying, I had the opportunity to work at a city farm, children’s zoo, a monkey rehabilitation sanctuary, a wolf conservation centre, and I even worked on a conservation project in Northern Cyprus near my family’s village to protect wild sea turtles.

After completing my studies at Capel Manor College, I continued my education at the University of Gloucestershire with a Bachelor’s degree in animal biology. During my three years at university, I experienced some truly transformative experiences working in conservation across the world. I travelled solo to South Africa twice to work with endangered species of wildlife such as the African wild dog, lion, rhino, elephant, cheetah, leopard, and vulture. I  also journeyed through the deepest parts of the Bornean jungle in search of critically endangered primates such as the Bornean orangutan.

I am now an ambassador for the UK Wild Otter Trust, The European Nature Trust, Dogs 4 Wildlife, and Wildlife ACT. I hope to use my roles to help communicate to the wider public why the natural world and its inhabitants need protecting. At present my biggest focus is trying to become a published author, continuing to assist in worldwide conservation projects, and continuing to inspire the next generation that any of their dreams can be possible if they work hard enough towards it all.

All of my experiences have certainly allowed me to become a great candidate for future employment opportunities and I give the College a huge thank you for helping me begin my journey towards a career in conservation!”

Alisha studied Animal Care Diploma (Level 2) and Animal Management Advanced Diploma (Level 3), before progressing on to Dog Grooming Assistant Certificate (Level 2).

“I chose to study all three of my courses at Capel Manor College because they have a lot of courses to choose from – the variety intrigued me. The College is very well organised, and the tutors are incredibly supportive. They help you to see what course is best for your desired career path.

The animal courses are great because you can explore different areas to understand what interests you most. After my second year studying animal care, I had one free year left of education and my partner said, “Why don’t you study dog grooming?”, as he knew I had a passion for dogs. I thought to myself, yes that is perfect! I had grown up with dogs all my life so I knew deep down this would be the perfect career choice. I never thought I would have such a successful career in dog grooming years later.

I gained two Level 2 qualifications and one part of a Level 3 qualification. I have also completed a day of hand stripping. I regularly attend seminars and workshops to continue furthering my knowledge. I am currently studying a Dog Grooming Stylist OCN qualification, which is the equivalent to a Level 3 qualification.

I completed two work placements during my time at the College. One being at Grooming Marvellous in Hertford and the other at Pet Styles in Hoddesdon. Both experiences helped me get an idea of what is involved in dog grooming and running a business. It was good to see how the different salons operated.

The main skills I learnt were the general handling of different animals, communication skills when dealing with clients and tutors, and how to maintain the health and wellbeing of all types of animals. I loved every minute of my practical lessons.

I now run my own dog grooming salon in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire – Scruff 2 Fluff Dog Grooming – after studying animal care and dog grooming at Capel Manor College. I started in a small shop alongside another dog groomer that I was sharing the premises with. I also had a part-time job at Tesco. I slowly built up my client base from scratch by advertising on social media such as Facebook and posted on groups and pages every day until late at night. I also attended fetes and fairs with a stall to advertise my work. I started on my own straight away alongside another experienced dog groomer to help me along the way.

If you want to start your own dog grooming business, my best advice would be to stay positive and work hard. It will be hard in the beginning but be persistent and you will get to your dreams.”