Hadlow College students are set to learn more about some of the world’s most endangered animals when Big Cat Week returns to the College on 29 January.
The event was run for the first-time last year and saw the Smarden based Big Cat Sanctuary visiting the College to teach Animal Management students more about how some species of big cats are under threat, and the conservation efforts being carried out to protect them.
Students took part in a three-day workshop with the Big Cat Sanctuary where they learned about the work the organisation do, and then put together their own conservation proposals to present to fellow students and staff at the end of the three days.
And there was a reward for the 15 students who were judged to have the best presentations, they each won a private tour of the Big Cat Sanctuary.
The event not only teaches students about big cats and conservation, it also helps them develop many skills that are needed when entering the workforce, including research, presentation and communication skills.
In fact, the event last year led to a Hadlow College student securing a work placement with the Big Cat Sanctuary.
Jo Saunders, Head of Curriculum for Animal Management at Hadlow College, said: “The best part of this last year was seeing the students’ confidence develop tenfold within just a few days of working with Gill and the Big Cat Sanctuary.
“Not only did they learn key conservation skills but they were also taught how to create and deliver an engaging presentation, together with a social media video.
“By day 3, they were presenting these with buckets of enthusiasm to a room of over 70 people. This has made such a difference to their employability, and for many, their next steps into Higher Education.”
Gill Garbo, Education and Sustainability Officer at The Big Cat Sanctuary, added: “The Big Cat Sanctuary are very pleased to be working with Hadlow College again on the Conserve to Preserve Project.
“It was a great opportunity last year to teach the students more in-depth about conservation, and the project presentations and media campaigns they created were just fantastic. It was also great to see the students developing vital life skills such a presenting, teamwork, and critical thinking.
“We are looking forward to working with this year’s students and are excited to see what creative ideas they come up with to help conserve threatened species of wild cat.”
The exciting week has been made possible thanks to funding from the Kent and Medway Progression Fund (KMPF), a partnership of higher education providers, colleges, schools and community organisations which delivers outreach activities across Kent and Medway.
Hadlow College is Kent’s only rural and land-based college and offers a range of courses covering everything from agriculture to floristry.
The College’s Animal Management course mixes theory, such as learning about the structure and function of the animal body, along with practical work in a large custom-built animal management unit.
To find out more visit the course finder page on the Hadlow College website, or come along to the College’s next Open Morning on 27 January, full details of which can be found on the events section of the College website.