Animal Behaviour BSc graduate Elle Judd talks about what she's done since graduating from Chester
Elle completed her Animal Behaviour degree at the University of Chester in 2024, find out what she's done since then
I am Elle and I studied Animal Behaviour BSc and graduated in November 2024.
Elle’s experience studying at Animal Behaviour at Chester
I enjoyed the degree as the content covers all species of animals, which was ideal for me as I wasn’t sure what exact animal I would like to work with in the future. It has also sparked an interest in working with species that I hadn’t previously considered.
At the University of Chester, I had multiple opportunities for work based learning, and for experiences to add to my CV. In my first year I volunteered for the dog walking society, where we walked dogs for people who struggle to walk them. In my second year I travelled to the Philippines to survey marine animals and coral reefs – the most incredible experience. In the same year, I also completed a paid internship working with sniffer dogs, where I learnt a lot about the service dog industry.
What has Elle done since completing her studies with Chester?
After graduating in 2024, I moved to Scotland and gained a job as an Animal Care Assistant at the Scottish SPCA. Here, I mostly care for rescue dogs, cats and rabbits, but sometimes even snakes, tarantulas, parrots and terrapins are taken in by the centre. I spent my first month working with the dogs, where l cleaned their kennels every morning, feed them, weigh them and medicate them when required. I also spend time with them outside of their kennels where I can train and exercise them.
Elle’s favourite parts of Chester
Although I’m happy to live in and explore a new city, I miss certain aspects of Chester. Especially visiting the endless pubs and cafes (there are a lot of hidden gems!), and it’s a pretty area to just have a wonder about, where everything is in walking distance.
Elle’s top advice
If I was to give any advice, it would be to expand your CV with any internships or other experiences provided by the university, and to make the most of Chester by looking for local organisations to volunteer at. This helped me to decide what career path I wanted to take.
Want to find out more?
Visit our webpages to find out more about our Animal Behaviour degree, or come and have a look around our facilities and chat to staff at our next Open Day.