Work Experience Student Geminni O’Brien

Over the past two weeks we have had the pleasure of welcoming nineteen year old Animal Management student Geminni O’Brien to join the Animal Care Team to gain some valuable ‘hands on’ work experience. Geminni is currently studying at Sparsholt College and on completing her course in July hopes to find her dream job working with Animals.
Who better to tell you about her experience at Seaview Wildlife then Geminni herself, so here is something that Geminni kindly wrote about her two week work placement working with the Keepers and Animals here at Seaview….
“I am on my second year at College and am leaving in July. As part of my course I have to do two weeks work experience. I looked at a few Parks and Zoos to work at but none even came close to Seaview. The Wildlife Park has such an interesting and large collection of Animals.
 
When I approached one of my lecturers about the Park he told me how fantastic the Park was and that Lorraine and Mr and Mrs Adams are really lovely people . When I started on the 4th February I was extremely nervous but the Keepers made me feel so welcome it was like I had been there for years!

Straight away I was able to get up close to the Animals. I especially loved feeding the Wallabies by hand and going in the Penguin enclosure. The Keepers made it easy for me to ask them questions at any point which was important as I wanted to gain as much experience as possible.

Having this experience is going to help me when looking for a job in the Animal husbandry industry. I have now got a lot more confidence in myself and the Keepers have provided me with advice on how to get into Animal Conservation which is what I would like to do in the future.
 Thank you to all the Keepers at Seaview Wildlife for making me feel like part of the team!”

We would also like to say thank you to Geminni for all her hard work, we wish you lots of luck with your future studies and hope to see you again in the coming season!