Examples of graduate employment have included Equine Veterinary Nursing, equine facilities managers, veterinary assistants, laboratory researchers, lecturing and teaching, nutritional sales, nutritional development and equine therapists. Further study can lead onto Masters programmes including the MSc Equine Science or a PhD.
Graduate Profile: Lucy Lord
Lucy is Territory Manager for Vetoquinol Pharmaceuticals, Buckingham, MK18 1PA.
About my job
I work for a veterinary pharmaceutical company. It is a French company and is the 10th largest in the world. It specialises in producing anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs for large and small animals. I usually see about three to four vets per day. You check that everything they are using at the moment is OK and show them new products.
Why I chose Hartpury
I wanted to be a vet but after a period shadowing one I realised it was much more of a lifestyle choice; the late nights, being on-call and always being in demand put me off. I chose Hartpury because I could study, ride and compete at the same time. In second and third year I was in the riding academy. This allowed me to compete regularly in show jumping, which was fantastic. There isn’t anywhere in Scotland that could give me coaching of the standard at Hartpury.
My time at Hartpury
I moved from Aberdeen to Hartpury and I was so shy. Being in an atmosphere where everyone is in the same boat as you throws you into it. The friendships that are formed can’t be matched if you were to stay at home. The University is very tight-knit so you get to know everyone. The first year is very structured and helps you work out what you’re good at. The tutors help you sit down and think about what to do with your degree. I wanted to do something scientific and in my third year my tutor talked to me about roles in pharmaceutical companies. At the time, I didn’t even know that the role I do now even existed!
Using my degree at work
The education I received at Hartpury has been very beneficial to my career. Speaking to the vets, who are intelligent people, and understanding the questions they ask would be difficult without the knowledge from my degree. I really enjoy meeting new and different people every day. I want to continue in this role as it is not something you can master in six months. There are also managerial roles that I can move into.
Getting a start in the industry
I think I got my job as my employer saw me as ambitious and confident. They could see that I had a willingness to learn. I spent four months trying to find companies, get email addresses and being persistent paid off. Being able to use scientific information and learning all the time about how the industry is changing is extremely interesting. The chance to help people improve their business is very rewarding.