“I wouldn’t have completed my Level 2 Apprenticeship and be in full-time work if I hadn’t first completed my Traineeship with HTP”
19 year old Angel-May Passmore is working her way to a career in Horse Psychology. It’s a journey that began with a Traineeship in Horse Care and Riding.
Angel started her Traineeship with no previous experience of horses but with a real love for working with animals. Her experiences and skills learned as part of her Traineeship have enabled her to grow professionally but also as a person.
Working with horses is a very different and highly rewarding career choice, as Angel explains:
“My Traineeship was a real boost to my own personal confidence and it helped me to understand what I wanted to do in my career. When I started my Traineeship I was quiet and I wasn’t confident at all. I couldn’t speak to strangers and I was quite introverted.
“Whilst on the Traineeship I learned that team skills and communication are very important when you’re working on a yard. I’m now much more confident talking to people that I work with and I’ve been able to put forward my ideas and thoughts. I can now talk to customers and help with their questions. I was also able to gain my Maths and English skills as part of my course, which has been brilliant.”
Angel has learnt about grooming, tack, riding and farriery, getting plenty of hands-on experience. She has also studied horses and their behaviour, fitness plans, feeding regimes and their injuries. Her course covered the equipment used at the stables as well as Health & Safety training.
Angel’s Traineeship has provided her with a wide introduction to a career with horses, allowing her to narrow her focus and move on to an Apprenticeship. She has now progressed to Level 3, studying for a Horse Psychology certificate.
“I had no horse care experience at all before I started my Traineeship,” Angel says. “I like animals and I wanted to do something real, working outdoors. I knew I didn’t want to study Animal Care at the Isle of Wight College because it was far too big an environment. I now live away from home, at the riding stables. I’ve learned to manage my money, to cook and clean. I’m much more motivated now. It made me realise that this is a job that I really wanted to do and that I could do it.”
Angel’s story is one of many successful Traineeships at HTP, helping young people to find their own career path and progress to an Apprenticeship or full-time work.
For more information on how you can start your dream career call us on 01983 533926 or get in touch using the Contact us button below and one of the team will be happy to help.
A word from the Tutors: Sallyanne Farley
Sallyanne is HTP’s Senior Recruitment & Careers Advisor. She’s passionate about horses, a keen rider and one of the tutors on the Horse Care & Riding Programme.
“A Traineeship gives young people the experience and understanding of what it’s really like working with horses. They get a certificate in Horse Care which can help them move forward either to a Full-time Course or to an Apprenticeship.
“Working outdoors with animals, especially horses, builds up confidence and can bring you out of yourself. You bond with the animals and when you are responsible for a horse you really want to look after it and do a proper job.
“My role as a tutor is incredibly inspiring. We work with young people who aren’t always confident and who are unsure about their future. Supporting them and guiding them through their Traineeship, helping them to make choices and decisions about their future career, is hugely rewarding. That’s why I do my job.”