Our Country Ambassadors work with international universities to inspire graduates to join us in the UK and start a rewarding career in veterinary public health. With the majority of UK graduates choosing to go into clinical settings, global talent is crucial, and we depend on veterinary professionals joining us from overseas to help safeguard animal welfare and public health.

Helena Ricankova is our Country Ambassador for the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic, engaging with universities to promote our careers to veterinary students. She graduated from The University of Veterinary Sciences Brno in the Czech Republic, which offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in Veterinary Medicine, and Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology.

The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, Slovakia, on the other hand, offers Bachelor’s courses in Animal Science and Veterinary Nursing, alongside a Veterinary Medicine Master’s programme. Both universities are producing skilled and knowledgeable veterinary graduates each year, with EAEVE-accredited qualifications that are recognised in many countries.

We caught up with Helena to find out more about her Country Ambassador role and her plans for the next academic year…

What do you love about your ambassador country?

The Czech Republic and Slovak Republic are small countries in the heart of Europe, offering high quality education. Both countries have a student friendly culture, high living standards and reasonable costs of living, which make them popular locations for university students.

What activities do you have planned in as part of your Country Ambassador role?

I’m planning to take part in the veterinary careers fair at the University of Kosice, where I’ll have the chance to talk to students about the roles we offer at E&J. I’ll also be maintaining social media, answering questions from potential applicants and updating job advertisements on university websites.

What have you done so far as part of this role?

When I first began my role as a Country Ambassador, I got in touch with study officers at each university to advertise up-to-date E&J career opportunities on university websites. I also took an active role maintaining social media on LinkedIn and Facebook, advertising company roles and responding to recruitment queries from students and graduates.

In April 2024, I participated in the veterinary careers fair at The University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, where I presented to students about the opportunities available within veterinary public health and small animal clinics.

What impact do you hope to have through your role as a Country Ambassador?

I hope to support students who wish to start a career in the UK as a skilled worker and inspire more graduates to begin a rewarding career in veterinary public health.

To find out more about our careers, head to our Join the Team page.