Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Schifano.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
My story begins as a child. I was the almost buzz-cut girl who loved climbing trees and dinosaurs; my best friends were animals. I knew that animals would always be a part of my life no matter where I ended up. I didn’t know how much 😉 Fast forward to 20 years later, when I was looking for a career and stumbled upon a management position at a Pet Care Facility. It was a dream to work in customer service and be surrounded by animals. The little kid inside of me was so happy 🙂 The facility also housed a trade school for pet professionals, and I was very intrigued by this. After just a few short years, I had the opportunity to fill some shoes that were left empty as the Admissions Director of said trade school! I now merge my passion for helping people with my childhood dream of being surrounded by animals. Taking the school under our wing and gaining majority ownership, my husband and I wanted to make some changes. We rebranded and became The Academy of Pet Careers. Since the rebrand, we have grown, added programs, introduced scholarships, developed a greater curriculum, moved, and so much more! I will always be a pet person, but my passion lies in helping people! The dogs are just a great bonus!
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
The road has had its ups and downs, but what business owner can say it hasn’t? The bumpiest part was the heartbreak and stress that we all felt when we were left with the unknown of the COVID shutdown. Our first message was, “We hope to see you all again in 3 weeks.” Then it was 6 then it was months. I was so sad for my students, staff, and all the families. On top of that, we had just purchased a new location we call home today. We were set to begin construction and move within the year. If I had to find the silver lining, the shutdown allowed us to speed up the move and welcome Students back from their leave to a beautiful new building and launch a new program! We opened again in June 2020!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might need to be more familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
We are one of a kind! No other school in the country offers what we do under one roof! The Academy of Pet Careers is a trade school for Pet Professionals. We offer careers in Veterinary Assisting, Pet Grooming, and Dog Training. Our programs include Animal Behavior and Pet CPR & First Aid too! Something so important to us is force-free training and care. This means that we don’t force dogs into anything, and we are always listening to what they are here to tell us!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to success in your career?
I am invested in my people. From our Faculty to our Students, they all know I care deeply about them. Every decision that I make is for them and their success. This easily translates into success for myself and our School. Everyone wants to feel needed and cared for, and they are naturally drawn to a Job or School they know will support them.
Contact Info:
- Website:Â www.theacademyofpetcareers.com
- Instagram:Â @petcareers
- Facebook:Â www.facebook.com/petcareers
- Youtube:Â www.youtube.com/petcareersÂ
