ORLANDO, Fla. — Hidden away in a corner of an Orlando shopping plaza is a school where dogs are the primary subject — and the primary clients.

  • Pew: 52% of the US's 420,000 Venezuelans live in Florida
  • Many come here seeking refuge in wake of economic upheaval
  • Central Florida trade schools have seen rise in Venezuelan enrollees

It's Jhomairy Bastidas' first day at the Dog Groomer Academy, but thankfully, she’s working with a professional.

"I love animals," she says in Spanish. "You’re just caring for fur babies who are part of our families."

Students at the Grooming Academy learn how to become a professional dog groomer, dog trainer, dog bather, animal care assistant and pet-sitter.

Bastidas is not only new to this school, she’s also new to this country. Bastidas fled her homeland of Venezuela for Central Florida seven months ago with her husband and two children. She has applied for asylum refugee status.

"I came from Venezuela seven months ago with my family. I’m here seeking refuge," Bastidas says.

The Venezuelan population in the U.S. is more than 420,000, an increase of about 350 percent from 10 years ago. And like Bastidas, 52% live in Florida, according to the Pew Research Center.

"In Venezuela, I was a saleswoman. But our situation there and the world brought us here to reinvent ourselves," Bastidas says.

She’s not the only one changing careers to dog grooming — the school says it's seen an increase in Venezuelan students in the past four years.

Other Florida trade schools have noted rise in applicants from Venezuela as well. Florida Technical College has also seen a rise in Venezuelan applicants, but the issue is enrolling them. Officials with the trade school say many, like Bastidas, aren't permanent residents or U.S. citizens, which means they can’t apply for student loans and must pay out of pocket. So many aren’t able to afford tuition.

Thankfully for Bastidas, the career change was financially easier — she won the school’s first scholarship to pay for the entire 196 hours of training.

"I screamed all day until I passed out snoring. It made me so happy," she says.

Now, there’s a board full of jobs waiting for Bastidas when she graduates. The owners report the graduation and post-graduation hiring rate is 95 percent. The school has teamed up with the PetCo, PetSmart, and Pet Super Market chains.