At Havant & South Downs College, we have a number of highly skilled, dedicated and passionate teaching staff.
These lecturers go above and beyond to help our students reach their full potential.
We want to shout about these integral members of our HSDC community, so every month we will be finding out about the people behind our teaching excellence with our ‘Staff in the Spotlight’ feature.
This month we are recognising Dave Campbell who is an Animal Management Lecturer at the College.
Position at HSDC
Animal Management Lecturer
How long have you worked at the College?
I started working at the South Downs Campus during my PGCE year through the University of Portsmouth in 2014, during that year I taught a variety of Animal Management lessons and the College gave me a permanent contract in February 2015.
What are your main responsibilities at the College?
My main responsibilities are course managing the first year Level 3 Extended Diploma in Animal Management. I have also tutored the Level 2 and Level 3 Diploma in Animal Management courses.
Why did you choose the subject that you teach?
I originally started studying Animal Management at South Downs College in 2007, my reasons for choosing this subject where that I always liked science but found the animal orientated elements of it more interesting, for example how animal behaviour can be studied and applied to how animals are cared for.
I also enjoy the degree of development of specialisation that it allows once you go on to further study or within the industry which ensures no day is the same and you are constantly learning.
What was your journey/training before coming to HSDC?
Prior to coming to HSDC I studied BTEC National Diploma in Animal Management at South Downs College in 2007-2009, after this I went onto university where I studied the BSc (Hons) in Animal Management at Sparsholt College.
During my time at university I was fortunate enough to be able to complete a work placement in South Africa working within a rehabilitation programme for cheetahs. After university I completed additional placements with the RSPB in the New Forest working with Goshawks and native herptiles. It was then that I decided to begin my teacher training as I especially enjoyed working with the general public and educating them about the importance animals have in building and maintaining local ecosystems.
Do you practice the subject you teach outside of work?
Since January 2018 I have regularly volunteered with the Wildfowl and Wetlands trust in Arundel. Since volunteering with the team at Arundel I have been lucky to assist with routine husbandry and enclosure management practices.
What is the highlight of your role at HSDC?
The highlight of my role is always seeing students at the end of the year work out their final grade and see how far they’ve come.
What kind of careers have your students gone on to do?
Previous students have gone on to work in practical in industry jobs such as veterinary nursing whilst others have pursued Further Education in a range university courses.
What is something about your job that people don’t know about?
The amount of outside classroom support and conversations we as a team have throughout the year with all of our students even those we may not teach. Particularly towards the close of the year and to do with future careers or work placement advice.
What kind of opportunities are students offered on your course?
Students are able to participate in number of trips to local zoos and animal centres – all of which have strong links to their assignment work and provide excellent opportunities for future work placements or potential offers for employment.
What three words would your students use to describe you?
Thoughtful, hard working and understanding.