Student Profiles
Student Profiles
JAMIE
Agriculture Student
“Sparsholt has given me the ability to further develop my agricultural knowledge and created a strong pathway for me to embed and develop my practical skills within all areas of the industry; particularly around livestock.”
BRAD
Arboriculture & Forestry Student
“My highlight has been the offsite practical days where we work in very similar conditions to industry, which helps boost working and further life out of college. Sparsholt has shown me different avenues within the industry as well as teaching the relevant material so that I can show my knowledge to others, whether it be an employer or a customer.”
LARA
Equine Student
“I have always had a passion to work with horses and Sparsholt has helped me learn how to begin my career, giving me the opportunity to learn what they are looking for in the industry. The course has a good ratio of theory and practical.”
ALICE
Horticulture Student
“The course teaches us all aspects of horticulture and the staff are passionate, knowledgeable and want you to thrive. The highlight of my course has been being part of the plants team for our RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden.
For my work placement I worked as a grounds maintenance gardener, which complemented my course well and I hope to secure a Professional Work Placement at RHS Wisley in the Herbaceous Ornamentals team in September.”
MATT
Outdoor Adventure Graduate
“I visited Sparsholt on an open day and really liked the environment; it also had great facilities such as the climbing wall, lake and fleet of bikes with direct access to local trails.
Sparsholt gave me the foundation skills and knowledge to launch a career in the outdoors. I’m now employed by Girlguiding as Deputy Centre Manager at one of their activity centres, and also work for myself offering technical advice to outdoor centres, performing ropes course inspections and guided mountaineering/climbing trips.”
APRIL
Sport Student
“I really enjoy the practical skills that we learn. We do circuits, spinning classes, stretching and learning all the techniques that we’ll need to be a personal trainer.
The lecturers are really friendly here – you can go to them whenever you need any help. They’re really approachable and help give you the skills that you need to get a qualification that you want as a job..”
AMY
Access to Higher Education
“When my Access tutor said there was an Agriculture degree starting here I thought I would jump on it – I couldn’t have made a better choice. The support you get here is incredible!”
OLLIE
Animal and Zoo Management
“I chose to study this course as I want to become a zookeeper and deal with animal husbandry. I have most enjoyed the time working with all the animals as it gives you a hands-on chance to put what you have learnt in theory lessons into practice. I have learnt a lot about the way in which amphibians are cared for in captivity.”
Xanthe
Animal Management
“The lecturers have widened my knowledge of different aspects of animal care due to their previous work backgrounds and have pushed me to achieve my full potential.
Within practical and theory lessons and work experience I have learnt important husbandry skills which I will need when looking after animals in a zoo, and I have also enjoyed meeting others with a similar interest and becoming close friends”
BEN
Arboriculture and Forestry
“We’ve been going out off site to loads of different places and it’s great experience. The lecturers are always looking out for you and making sure that everything you’re doing is correct, the way they talk through it is just so clear. I would 100% recommend Sparsholt to people. You can come here and feel like you’re actually working towards something. Everything I’m learning now is basically going to set me up.”
JACK
Agriculture
“Sparsholt has given me a strong understanding of the fundamental areas of the industry so I can move on to higher education with confidence in my current knowledge.”
DYLAN
Arboriculture, Forestry, & Woodland Management
“Studying Arboriculture is leading me to my dream job so I look forward to going to college every day. I love the off-site practical days, enjoying the outdoors.”
JESSICA
Horticulture
“Being here is a big difference from school because you get to experience what it’s like in the workplace and get ready for a job, which will be soon to come. After college I want to ideally become a head keeper on an estate. Sparsholt have really upped my skill levels. I would recommend Sparsholt highly to everyone because it makes you work ready.”
SOPHIE
Land and Wildlife (Countryside and Conservation)
“I chose Sparsholt because of the opportunity to board and it also has lovely facilities. The atmosphere here is really busy, there’s always something going on. We learn a lot of skills and do a lot of networking with other people. I hope to become an ecologist and this course has definitely helped me get closer to that. I can’t recommend it strongly enough.”
TOMMY
Conservation, Countryside, and the Environment
“I chose Sparsholt because it offers a practical course that is about all of my interests. I really enjoyed the coastal unit, going on various site visits and learning about how the coastline was formed, and have learnt lots of useful survey methods. I would like to work in ornithology.”
CHARLOTTE
Equine Studies
“We are so fortunate to have such amazing lecturers, who provide us with additional support when we need it. They create lectures that aid us in seeing the practical industry skills that we can develop and we continue to learn the theory behind why we carry out certain practical tasks.“
EVE
Equine Studies
“I have been given the opportunity to run events as well as groom for the college, which will set me up in the industry. The facilities are amazing, we have a variety of horses to learn to ride on and the opportunity to build showjumping courses as well as dressage arenas. I would recommend Sparsholt to anyone – it’s such a great place to learn.”
AIDEN
Fishery studies & Aquatics
“I’ve managed to find work through Sparsholt working on a trout farm. Not only does Sparsholt give you the qualifications to do that but it also pushed you into the industry and into meeting the people who you need to meet.”
FRASER
Fishery studies & Aquatics
“The course is the perfect mix of practical and in the classroom. My highlight is definitely the practical side. We go out to sites all over the south of England learning about fish in the workplace. With Sparsholt you also have the great opportunity of an industry placement. I’m going to Calverton Fish Farm and this will help me network in the industry and gain contacts for the future.”
NICOLE
Game and Wildlife Management
“One of my favourite course experiences was our visit to a deer park in Dorset, where we could take part in the gralloching process with fallow and red deer. It was a fun day out and very educational.”
JOSH
Game
“Being here is a big difference from school because you get to experience what it’s like in the workplace and get ready for a job, which will be soon to come. After college I want to ideally become a head keeper on an estate. Sparsholt have really upped my skill levels. I would recommend Sparsholt highly to everyone because it makes you work ready.”
ETHAN
Horticulture
“I’m really excited about RHS Chelsea because it’s a global platform to show our skills and compete with the experts in our field. I would like to go into plant science and conservation, so this will be a wonderful opportunity to meet industry leaders and become familiar with what it will be like to work in horticulture in the future.”
GEMMA
Motor Vehicle
“Our practical lessons show us a realistic work environment and it’s good to study the theory of a topic and then put it into use.”
ALEX
Motor Vehicle Engineering
“I will miss everything about Sparsholt – the atmosphere, the opportunity for learning – if there was another Motor Vehicle course above Level 3 I’d come back and pay for it!”
PHOEBE
Outdoor Adventure
“Sparsholt is so unique with this course and the wide range of facilities and connections. Our tutors have industry links to outdoor centres which we set up work experience with as part of the course and they really help us with this. You get to do so many new pursuits and really grow as a person.”
Read more about Phoebe’s story here.
CHARLOTTE
Outdoor Adventure
“I learnt many skills on the course from Climbing and Canoeing qualifications to simple everyday tools such as how to engage and talk to participants from age 3-83. I now work in an Outdoor Nursery, so I use my people skills and love for the outdoors all the time.”
SOPHIE
Uniformed Protective Services
“I’ve really enjoyed Sparsholt! I came because I want to become part of the police force as a Dog Handler, so this course gave me lots of opportunities and chances to learn about different parts of the services.”
ZOE
Sport
“Through the course we get to coach a range of different students and there’s a good balance between the practical and theory sides. The facilities are great. Being at Sparsholt feels like being part of a family.”
AIDAN
Sport
“I would recommend Sparsholt College, as they’ve really allowed me to become the person I am today”
