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Animal Biology alum sheds light on surprising career options with McDonald's

After graduating from NTU just two years ago with a BSc in Animal Biology, Chloe Roberts has been very successful in her career so far. Securing a graduate role with the poultry producer Moy Park allowed Chloe to begin building a professional network and gain a wide-reaching knowledge of the industry.

Chloe Roberts
Chloe Roberts delivering her lecture.

Last Summer, Chloe began a secondment as an Agricultural Coordinator with Mcdonald's, a company which most Animal Biology students might not consider when searching for a graduate role. We invited Chloe to our Brackenhurst Campus, where she educated and inspired our students with a lecture about her career journey.

To begin the lecture, Chloe asked the students to share their preconceptions about careers in Agriculture. Phrases such as: “low pay”, “hard work” and “physically demanding”  were all mentioned. When the students were asked what roles they were aware of within the industry, "Farmer" was the top answer. This prompted some interesting and engaging discussions amongst the class as Chloe put forward a different point of view.

Next, Chloe spoke about her fantastic career journey, as well as the variety of exciting and rewarding roles that are available within the industry. The students learnt how the role of Agricultural Coordinator includes developing animal welfare strategies and supporting sustainability projects - amongst many other interesting responsibilities.

Discussions also included the key skills which are required for a successful career in the industry, as well as lots of useful advice to help the students kickstart their careers. Networking was highlighted as an important skill for new graduates, with Chloe attributing her networking skills as a factor which boosted her career.

Coordinating and leading various Young Talent programmes - which contribute to McDonald’s sustainability pillar of kickstarting 100 jobs within agriculture - forms a large part of Chloe’s role. Inspiring videos of individuals who are enrolled on the programmes displayed the variety of exciting careers that are available. Further information about the programmes was followed by an invitation for the students to get in touch with Chloe if they would like to pursue this career path.

Following this engaging and interesting lecture, our students have lots to think about. Prior to the lecture, most were not aware of the graduate roles available within the Agricultural industry, and most would never have considered McDonald’s as a potential employer.

Chloe shared her experience on LinkedIn saying: “We had some great discussions and I hope by the end of the lecture they understood just how many roles are available across the entire sector; and whilst the reality of the role isn’t always pretty, it’s extremely rewarding.

“I will say, it was not an industry I had considered when I was at university, until my first role came along. However, I’ve loved every minute of it. I absolutely want to stay and I look forward to seeing where my career takes me.”

Published on 27 March 2023
  • Category: Alumni; School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences