Learn more about life at Dechra

After earning both a degree and a master's in music, I began my career at an educational music publisher in London. It was there that I developed a strong foundation in typesetting, publishing, and graphic design. After several years in the role, I relocated to Shropshire and took on the challenge of a PGCE in Secondary Music. After completing my PGCE, a love for sport soon led me to a role at British Gymnastics, where I spent several years in their education department. I was able to bring together my background in education and publishing to create learning resources for the gymnastics community. Over time, as the industry shifted from printed materials and in-person programmes to digital content and online courses, I found myself working more and more with Learning Management Systems (LMS) and tools like Articulate Storyline to create online courses and interactive eLearning modules. The Covid-19 pandemic had a huge impact on how education and training were delivered across all industries. Recognising the shift, I saw an opportunity to pivot into instructional design—thanks to the support and mentorship I received at British Gymnastics. From there, I took on my first full-time role as a Digital Learning Designer at Holland & Barrett, where I gained invaluable experience that solidified my passion for instructional design. Now, I’m excited to be continuing my journey as a Digital Learning Developer at Dechra.

As a Digital Learning Developer, my primary focus is on enhancing the digital learning experience across the group for both our internal training and external course offerings. I collaborate with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and business stakeholders to create a wide range of digital assets, including eLearning courses, videos, and training materials, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and meet the needs of both our internal and external customers.

I am passionate about creating high-quality educational resources and learning experiences, whether it be an in-depth veterinary course on Hyperthyroidism for our Dechra Academy, or an internal training module on Import & Export Compliance. I enjoy combining my expertise in adult learning and graphic design to create truly engaging content, regardless of the topic.

As someone with an education and training background, I could talk at length on the importance of gaining qualifications and experiences necessary for taking on a new role. However, I have found that my most important and career-defining learning experiences have happened when I said 'yes' to a new opportunity or challenge which was way out of my comfort zone or existing skill set. Say yes now and figure it out later - you'll be amazed at what you can achieve.

Dechra offers flexible working, promotes a positive work-life balance through its THRIVE wellbeing programme, and supports opportunities for professional development. This has really made me feel valued as an employee and enabled me to achieve my personal and professional goals. My personal achievements this year include qualifying for and running the Boston Marathon, winning the Apocalypse Ultramarathon, and working with The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) to create their new Drum Kit syllabus. In terms of professional development, I recently completed the first year of my masters degree in Education Technology which has been fully-funded and supported by Dechra.