Student success stories

BSc Applied Animal Science, 2016

"I am very happy to engage with people on how exciting the poultry industry is, how advanced it is technologically compared to some other agricultural sectors and the sheer variety of the work that I have in my job."

Molly's story

“I was quite naïve about what happens for an egg to go from farm to fork,” says Molly Beattie, who works as a Poultry Officer for the Scottish Government. “I am very happy to engage with people on how exciting the poultry industry is, how advanced it is technologically compared to some other agricultural sectors and the sheer variety of the work that I have in my job.”

Molly’s role is varied and includes undertaking inspections of laying hen arms, packing centres, wholesalers, chick hatcheries and distribution sites, dealing with food safety, food fraud, animal welfare, quality assurance processes - all to ensure that the eggs are fit for human consumption.

Being a SRUC graduate has its advantages: “There is that moment when you are talking with someone on a production site and you say that you studied at SRUC – it has a good reputation, people know about it and may even have studied there themselves – they can see that you and they are on a similar wavelength. It can be a good conversation starter!”

In relation to her degree studies, Molly feels it “was broad and had a really good mixture of practical sessions, visits and lectures which have held me in good stead in my working life.”

And final words of wisdom from Molly: “Agriculture and associated industries need intelligent and forward-thinking teams – SRUC is very well placed to provide these people.”

MSc Organic Farming, 2017

"The camaraderie between my fellow students and the staff at the SRUC was very special over the three years of study and it lives on regardless of the distances. The MSc Organic Farming is a game changer. It changed my life!"

Robby's story

Robby Gass graduated in 2017 from the SRUC MSc Organic Farming programme and went on to start a successful consultancy business. Robby explains how how instrumental the SRUC distance learning course was to his achievements.

“With more than 25 years of South African conventional and mixed organic farming experience I returned to Scotland in 2013,” said Robbie. “As the newly appointed manager of a horticultural training nursery I also successfully completed the MSc Organic Farming degree in 2017 and the opportunities grew from there. My income grew to a new level, I was given more responsibility with autonomy and opinion was treated with higher regard.”

Robby then went on to create his own business Alba Organics, an independent organic consultancy business. As a consultant he improves the operations of experienced and prospective organic famers with farms of various sizes and types in Britain and in Europe.

“The camaraderie between my fellow students and the staff at the SRUC was very special over the three years of study and it lives on regardless of the distances. The MSc Organic Farming is a game changer. It changed my life!”