Ivor’s arboriculture journey

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.”

Where are they now?

After five years studying animal management with us, Cara has continued to thrive in higher education and the animal science sector. 

Following her time at our College she progressed to her first-choice university to study BSc (Hons) Zoo Biology, a course selected to broaden the biology and animal science knowledge she first developed at Capel Manor College. Throughout her degree, Cara explored diverse areas from physiology to animal behaviour, and the fascinating crossover of behavioural physiology. 

As part of her four-year programme, Cara completed an exciting placement year that took her around the world. She spent three months at a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre in Ecuador followed by six months at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna contributing to sector research. 

Returning to the UK for her final year, Cara graduated with first-class honours, as well as several prestigious awards recognising her academic excellence and dedication to student leadership. 

Her success has continued beyond her undergraduate degree. Cara has now been accepted to study an MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour at one of the UK’s leading institutions in this field. Alongside her postgraduate studies, she is working remotely with her research team in Vienna, conducting data analysis and contributing to multiple scientific publications. 

Cara says that Capel Manor College helped shape the confident, motivated person she is today, supporting her personal development as much as her academic journey. Her long-term dream remains to work in animal behaviour and eventually become a team leader in a canine behavioural team with a charity such as Dogs Trust, RSPCA or Battersea, before moving on to a career in education, inspiring others just as she was inspired.