Sarah Animal Science (Livestock Technology) BSc Honours
I graduated in BSc Hons Animal Science in 2006.
When I first came to the city on an open day I just fell in love with the place. It had such a vibe, the people were so friendly and the night life was amazing. The course also sounded fantastic and the Animal Science Open Day was one of the best I had been to.
The quality of the teaching was fantastic, as the class was small a good relationship was built up between lecturers and students; they were very good at listening and acting upon comments provided. The course was excellent at providing additional skills to make your CV stand out and this has proved paramount in applying for jobs and courses.
After my BSc I studied an MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the Royal School of Veterinary studies in Edinburgh, my good CV and degree in Animal Science from Newcastle meant I instantly got offered a place.
During my Masters I was offered a place on the NFU (National Farmers' Union) Graduate Training Scheme. The application process was quite long, but without doubt it was the diversity of my undergraduate course from Newcastle University which put me in good stead both during my application and interview process. The Scheme required me working at NFU Headquarters in Stoneleigh and also in Wales.
Although I enjoyed my time with the NFU, I was very office bound and had limited contact with farmers. Both these reasons contributed to me applying for a job as a Livestock Reporter with the Farmers Weekly. With no Journalism skills I didn’t think I would stand a chance getting the job. But the CV skills gained while at Newcastle and a mixture of my qualifications and work experience, got me the job.
Now I am based in the office 2-3 days a week and out for the rest getting stories. I am meeting a variety of colourful characters and am visiting a lot of the UK as well as some exotic locations such as Canada. Agricultural Journalism is a great thing for those who feel passionate about the industry and as I have learnt, shouldn’t be ruled out just because you are not a trained journalist!
The social life at Newcastle is TOP NOTCH! Nowhere else compares. I was a member of the Agric society which involved drinking, drinking and more drinking!!! I think the thing I enjoyed most was meeting a diverse set of friends who made my time at university.
I lived in university accommodation for my whole 3 years, in the 1st year I stayed in Castle Leazes, I would recommend this to anyone. In the 2nd and 3rd I stayed in university approved accommodation in Sandyford and we loved it.
A bit of financial advice - try and budget your money, work out costs before you come to university and stick to them. There are plenty of jobs available which could be useful in funding.