Stoughton High School senior Olivia Bakken has been riding horses since she was six years old.

So it was at a young age that she knew she wanted to be a veterinarian.

"Seventh grade. I knew pretty early, I guess," Bakken said in an interview last month.

Bakken currently leases two horses, but over nearly two years, she has had opportunities to handle other animals, too, through Stoughton Veterinary Service.

Bakken was already working at the clinic when a SHS counselor made her aware of the opportunities available through a Youth Apprenticeship, where students can engage in a paid work experience and additional classes in a selected career field. In this case, she could continue working at Stoughton Veterinary Service through the apprenticeship program.

"I knew I wanted to be a vet, and I needed a job, so I thought it would be a good experience," she said.

Bakken is now in the second year of a two-year apprenticeship program. During the school year, she works at the clinic for several hours on Mondays and Wednesdays. In the summer, she also works Friday morning shifts.

At the clinic, she helps clean the facility, care for the animals, support patient recovery and more while learning about surgeries and X-rays. The staff at Stoughton Veterinary Service are good about answering her questions about the field, she said.

"[It's] really interesting," she said of her experience at the clinic. "I've learned a lot there."

The work experience is complemented by a weekly Veterinary Technician Assistant class that she takes at UW-Madison along with 12 other area students in the Youth Apprenticeship program. That class is offered through the Dane County School Consortium and taught by a UW vet staff member.

Bakken said she will continue pursuing a career in veterinary medicine in college.

"I want to specialize in equine," she said.

Last year, 14 SHS students participated in a District youth apprenticeship. Through this paid work experience program, students gain valuable skills and hands-on experience in their chosen career path by working side-by- side with industry sector professionals. Participating students learned skills in the fields of manufacturing, engineering, healthcare, veterinary medicine, auto repair, food service and banking.