Osian Hughes from Penrhyndeudraeth is working towards his dream job as a zookeeper after pursuing his passion for animal care at Glynllifon.

Osian completed his Level 3 Diploma in Animal Management at Glynllifon last year.

He did courses at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, but didn’t believe he could turn his love of animals into a career.

Further courses there gave Osian the confidence to follow his heart and apply to Glynllifon.

He honed his skills and volunteered with an elephant conservation project in Thailand.

He said: “I started doing a pre-vocational course in Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor in Dolgellau in 2017 because I didn't know what I wanted to do after leaving school.

“I went on to study Hospitality Level 1 in Dolgellau for a year, then Plastering Level 1 and Level 2, as I kept changing my mind about what I wanted to do.

“I'd always wanted to be a zookeeper but never thought I'd do well enough in education to be one.

“My confidence went up as the years went by, so I thought I'd give animal care a chance. I went to Glynllifon to study Animal Studies Level 2, then went on to study the Animal Management Level 3 extended diploma for two years.

“Getting the chance to volunteer on an elephant conservation project in Chiang Mai was truly an amazing opportunity. Being there in the mountains working with the local community was an unforgettable experience. I made friendships that will stay with me forever.

“Learning about this type of conservation is very important, and reinforces the fact that we all belong to one ecosystem and that we must all work together to make a better future for all.

Now studying Zoology with Animal Management at Bangor, Osian has his sights on a Masters in Marine Biology, and possibly even a career as a wildlife television presenter.