Choosing a future profession and a specialized study track for upper secondary school is one of the most significant decisions a teenager faces. To help students navigate the world of modern careers, representatives from the Faculty of Biology and Technology at Sumy National Agrarian University (SNAU) held a career guidance session with ninth-grade students from Lyceum No. 9.

Anastasiia Belchenko, an assistant at the Department of Animal Production, Processing Technology, and Cynology, visited the students alongside fourth-year student Yelizaveta Malkova. A special guest—Dakota, a German Shepherd—instantly captured the students’ attention and sparked genuine excitement.

Topics discussed with the students included:

Choosing a specialized study track: They discussed which subjects to focus on now and how specialized upper-secondary education lays a solid foundation for a future career.

Admission pathways: Ninth-graders learned about various routes to professional education, ranging from continuing their studies at the lyceum before entering SNAU to the option of enrolling in the university’s colleges immediately after the ninth grade.

The modern Faculty of Biology and Technology: The team presented the faculty’s educational opportunities, facilities, and laboratories, highlighting the benefits of practice-oriented learning. Popular majors include:

“Technology of Livestock Production and Processing” — a major focused on biotechnology, the automation and digitalization of modern facilities, food security, and product quality;

“Cynology” — a field for those aspiring to work professionally with dogs, covering everything from service and search-and-rescue operations to canine-assisted therapy, expert evaluation, and modern training techniques.

Dakota’s presence turned the meeting into an interactive, open dialogue: the lyceum students witnessed firsthand the dog’s level of training and obedience, and learned about care, training routines, and the vibrant student life at the university.

We sincerely thank the administration and teachers of Lyceum No. 9 for the warm welcome and partnership, and the ninth-graders for their genuine interest and active engagement! We look forward to welcoming future applicants to Sumy National Agrarian University!