Recently, one of our former Animal Management students, Maddie, came in to deliver a guest lecture to our current Animal Management students, outlining the journey she took into her role and discussing the importance of experience and passion to become a professional in the industry. 

Maddie completed the Level 3 Animal Management course in 2020 but has also had many years of experience, helping in a veterinary practice at just 14 years old, before managing livestock on a farm, working in rescue kennels and then working in a veterinary hospital. She then launched her own business, Maddie’s Pawfect Pooches, in 2023 where she provides personalised dog training for clients.

Throughout her Animal Management course, Maddie completed a range of work experience including White House Kennels where she helped care for dogs in boarding and Court Farm where she worked in the farming industry. She said, “The benefits to completing a placement at college are endless. You gain hands-on experience with animals, but you also learn how to talk to customers and clients. Depending on what you want to go into, it can also be a great way to make connections with employers, learn more about that specific industry, and how to secure a permanent job in that role.”

“I absolutely loved the Animal Management course. I felt it had a great element of practical as well as theory, and being able to work with the animals at Puxton Park was a great way to get the necessary hands-on experience.”

For many years, Maddie knew she wanted to start her own dog training business, therefore, after her Weston College course, Maddie completed a Level 4 Dog Training, Behaviour, and Welfare course to create a well-established business across North Somerset.

Within her business, Maddie supports dogs and their owners through tailored training sessions and solutions, specialising in rescue dogs and reactivity cases. Within these sessions, Maddie helps dogs build their confidence, overcome behavioural challenges, and help dogs feel safe and understood as well as help their owners better understand the reasons behind their behaviour and how to manage it in the future. She also creates puppy training programmes for owners to navigate and cope with the behavioural and developmental stages of a new puppy. 

During her 1-to-1 training sessions, Maddie completes a behavioural assessment through observations and interactions, she then creates a training plan and educates the owner on what she has discovered regarding the dog's behaviour. To overcome the issues, Maddie completes training with the dog, this can take anywhere between a couple of sessions to a couple of months depending on the severity of the case. She then has monthly catch-up sessions with the owner and their dog to monitor any changes and check progress.

This thorough process is the foundation of her successful business and has been extremely effective and received great feedback from clients, making the waitlist for her services around 6-7 months.

“My favourite thing about owning my own business is getting to know all the dogs and clients personally. I love seeing the progression that the dogs make, from when I first meet them, they’re nervous and reactive, to then seeing them confident and emotionally balanced, it’s just so rewarding.”

Maddie is an excellent reflection of what students can achieve when they set their mind to something and put in the work. She knew what she wanted and worked hard to get it, gaining a range of different work experiences to secure a wide knowledge base of working with different animals and specialties. 

A big thank you to Maddie for sharing her experiences and acting as an excellent role model for the students.

This Careers Event forms part of the Animal Management Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College's Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners' careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.

Progress to the next level in Animal Management! At University Centre Weston (UCW) our students give us impressive feedback, with our latest National Student Survey results putting us above average in all nine areas! Find out more about our exceptional teaching, wellbeing services and learning resources by visiting our website. Click here!

If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College here. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career.

Last week, our Music and Production students got the chance to sit in on a live performance from the band, ‘The Peripheries’, and help them record an album within our Michael Eavis Performance suite, which links directly to the HE Recording Studio at Loxton Campus.  

The Peripheries are an Italian New Wave band with 1980s influences and experimental sounds. With connections to a member of staff at the college, they visited our students and performed for them, giving them the chance to hear a new variation of music that they may not have previously discovered.   

Our students are trained on top-of-the-range equipment to ensure they are fully equipped with the skills and knowledge required for working in the industry. They not only learn to set up for performances and gigs, but they also learn what to listen for when recording so they can make the correct adjustments. Students were taking charge of the settings on the music decks while other students were behind in the recording studio ensuring that all aspects of the gig were recorded smoothly.  

Giving students the chance to help record an album for the band gives them fantastic, real-world experience and practice working with clients. Not only this, our Media and Photography students also got involved with filming the performance so the band will have a professional album with a high-quality music video created by our students. This provides them with great hands-on experience and allows them to build their portfolio with a new and dynamic project.  

Some students will also assist in editing the raw materials to create the final album. This is a great opportunity to see how to fine-tune recordings to ensure high-quality products that are ready for external audiences.  

Within our Music faculty, students are encouraged to get involved and learn the trade wherever possible. They will often perform at local gigs and festivals with students helping with the set-up and production, acting as sound technicians to ensure to event runs seamlessly. Also, by inviting a range of musicians into the college who have different requests and preferences to enhance their sound helps to broaden the students' knowledge base and better prepare them for working with clients in the industry.  

Whether students are interested in playing music or working as a production technician, our Music courses enable students to be versed in every aspect, so they gain a holistic understanding of Music Production. This makes them an integral part of any gig or show as they have a level of experience working behind the scenes.  

Thank you to The Peripheries for joining us on campus and working with our students to give them hands-on experience in the industry. Also, well done to our students for taking on all responsibilities with professionalism and maturity! 

This live performance forms part of the Music and Media Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College's Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners' careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.  

Progress to the next level in Music! At University Centre Weston (UCW) our students give us impressive feedback, with our latest National Student Survey results putting us above average in all nine areas! Find out more about our exceptional teaching, wellbeing services and learning resources by visiting our website. Click here! 

If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College here. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career. 

Weston College has officially launched its Social Action Report 2024–2025, showcasing the inspiring projects, partnerships, and initiatives that have made a tangible difference both within the college and across the wider community.

Social action continues to be a cornerstone of the college’s ethos, empowering learners to develop vital life skills while creating meaningful change in Weston-super-Mare and beyond.

Through initiatives embedded in the new STEPS personal development framework, learners are encouraged to see Engagement as a vital part of their journey towards a brighter future.

This year has seen significant investment and participation in social action. More than 1,700 learners completed ‘Making an Impact’ projects. Collectively, learners delivered 52 unique projects, raised over £12,000 for local causes, and partnered with eight residential and care homes.

The outcomes extend beyond financial contributions: 100% of tutors reported that the activities had a “significant impact” on learners’ empathy, with 78% of participants themselves recognising growth in their ability to connect with others.

The report also highlights the breadth of activity across the college, from the ever-popular Raising and Giving Week to entrepreneurial initiatives like the Business Enterprise Challenge, which alone raised an impressive £7,289.87 for Weston Hospicecare.

Speaking about the report, Ben Knocks, Deputy Principal – Students, Inclusion and Brand at Weston College, said:

“Social action at Weston College is about more than volunteering or fundraising – it’s about shaping confident, compassionate learners who see the impact they can have on the world around them.

“The results this year show that when learners engage with their community, they not only change lives but also transform their own.”

You can read the full report, by clicking here.