Heather turned her love of horses into a career through Melbourne Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Equine Studies. A Melbourne Polytechnic study grant of A$12,000 led her to the United States to complete a short course in Advanced Equine Reproduction.
Heather started riding lessons during high school and worked part-time at her riding school and then at a stud farm. She completed the Certificate II in Equine Industry at school as part of a Vocational Education and Training programme. “Throughout high school I thought I wanted to work with animals,” she says. “At the end of Year 11 I found out about the Bachelor of Equine Studies at Melbourne Polytechnic and thought: that’s what I want to do.”
Heather says the Melbourne Polytechnic Bachelor of Equine Studies helped her prepare for work in the industry. “Without it I probably wouldn’t have a clue what I’m doing! My favourite subjects were always about reproduction but I liked all the practical aspects of things. You can learn all the stuff in theory but without practising it, it’s quite hard to remember.”
Heather is currently working at a thoroughbred stud in Euroa, and as a part-time technician at the Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital in the Equine Reproduction Unit.