Former student turned pet nutrition manager returns to inspire degree students
A former Coleg Sir Gâr degree student now working as a manager for Hill’s Pet Nutrition, returned to college to help inspire animal behaviour and welfare students to explore the diverse range of career opportunities available when they graduate.
Vanessa Hall completely turned her career around by going back to education and following her passion.
Coming from a family run business, she started her career working for Legal and General insurance and was managing three teams of 10 people by the age of 23.
However, she felt unfulfilled in her career because of her strong interest in the equine industry which led her to manage a summer scheme at a riding school.
Following a sudden fall which tore the cartilage off her knee, she faced a two-year rehabilitation programme and as a result, thought her dream career was completely out of sight.
She gave up on her dream job and went to work in field sales working with the construction industry for an estate agent.
Then one day, she decided she was going to go back to education and she signed up for a HND at Pencoed College then progressed to Coleg Sir Gâr’s top-up degree in animal behaviour and welfare where she graduated and went to work for the RSPCA.
She also runs a social enterprise called Because Animals are Worthwhile, which provides reading groups and teaches primary school children how to read animal behaviour and body language across Wales.
During her course, her academic research activities included reviewing literature based on animal welfare legislation and its relevance to the education system.
Dr Stephanie Rees, lecturer in animal studies at Coleg Sir Gâr said: “Vanessa wanted to reiterate to our current degree students that life can change even though you might be focussed on a particular career.
“She wanted to highlight that during all her experiences and particularly during her top-up degree, she had acquired a vast array of transferable skills which meant she was not pigeon-holed into a certain pathway and instead had many diverse career opportunities ahead.”
