Animal Care and Welfare Assistant

Posted by Art Providers

Competitive salary
United Kingdom
Contract
Apply Now

Job Reference: ART-3cTxfwUoxn3

Who are we?

ART Providers Skill Centre (ART) is a UK based organization that is committed to provide you with the right skills, learning and career opportunities in your chosen apprenticeship course programme. We exist to produce top quality apprentices and support employers in bridging them to the right apprentice such as yourself.

We are now offering an Animal Care and Welfare Assistant course programme in Level 2. Inquire now!

 

What will you learn in this course?

As an animal care apprentice, you will be employed in an animal care environment gaining vital practical skills and experience, and earning a wage alongside studying your formal apprenticeship qualification. Typical animal care settings that apprentices work in include kennels and catteries, doggy day care facilities, animal welfare centres, farm parks and pet shops.

Previous accomplishments are meticulously deliberated from the start to ensure time on the programme is maximized. Our approach is strong Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) to guarantee that each Apprentice understands the context of their learning, the assessment methodology and that their future career advancement is carefully mapped into their journey.

 

Knowledge you’ll gain:

You will gain a comprehensive understanding of wide range of knowledge areas, including:

  • UK and EU Animal related legislation
  • Signs that indicate potential problems with animals’ health and welfare and the actions that should be taken
  • The types of basic medication, routes of administering medication, safe handling and disposal of medication
  • Accommodation and environment requirements that are suitable and safe for animals
  • The behaviours of the animal, applicable to the species and how it impacts its care and welfare such as stress/distress/pain/fear/frustration
  • How the animal you are working with learns and the basic principles of re-enforcement techniques
  • Different skin and coat care requirements of animals in their care
  • Basic anatomy and physiology
  • Basic reproduction and obstetrics and reproductive behaviour, including neutering
  • The importance of the human and animal bond
  • The changing needs of animals’ dependent on their life stage

 

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

 

  • Must be living and working in England in a suitable animal care environment (e.g. a boarding kennels, cattery, animal charity, doggy day care facility) 
  • Ability to commit to completing the course program within 12-18 months and needs to be working for a minimum of 30 hours per week, if you are working less than 30 hours a week the length of your apprenticeship will be extended depending on your working hours.
  • If you have a level  2 (or above) qualification you are still able to undertake this apprenticeship if your current qualification is in an unrelated subject. If your existing qualification is in a similar subject you may not be able to undertake this apprenticeship.

 

Skills

  • work effectively in a safe and healthy working environment following current/relevant health and safety legislation and workplace policies
  • maintain hygiene, biosecurity procedures and infection controls when working with animals including quarantine and isolation
  • approach/handle/restrain/move/recapture animals as part of routine husbandry appropriate for the species and individual
  • exercise/socialise animals and provide appropriate enrichment relevant to their specific needs
  • provide food and water to animals and monitor the intake
  • identify and describe animals using appropriate methods to the species involved (e.g. scanning for microchips)
  • maintain, update and reference correct records in accordance with current legislation
  • deliver customer experience (internal and external), where applicable, in line with workplace policies and procedures
  • respond to animal first aid, urgent, ongoing and preventive care requirements as appropriate

 

Core knowledge, skills and behaviours:

You will gain the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours needed of an Animal Care and Welfare Assistant to ensure you maintain safe working practices and take responsibility for yourself, others and the animals in your care.

 

The benefits of this level 2 (Animal Care and Welfare Assistant) Apprenticeship to employers include:

  • Grow your business: Affordable way to expand and develop your business
  • Cost effective: Provide valuable opportunities whilst minimising recruitment and training costs
  • Enhanced reputation: Provide client reassurance by investing in trained staff
  • Increased productivity: Maximise staff efficiency though the development of knowledge and skills

Once you have completed this Apprenticeship, you could progress on to the following:

On completion of your apprenticeship you will have gained the knowledge, skills, behaviours and practical experience needed to excel in an Animal Care and Welfare Assistant role. During this time, your desire to learn and increase your knowledge further may lead you to wondering what you should do next!

If you are looking to study to the next level you may consider undertaking the Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in Work-based Animal Care. To do so you would need to be working in a supervisory or managerial position, however, if you are not currently working in such a role but are aspiring to do so, it may still be possible to undertake the advanced apprenticeship; this will be assessed on an individual basis and is something your assessor will discuss with you as you approach the end of your level 2 apprenticeship.

Level: 2

Maximum funding: Competitive

Typical duration: 12-18 months 

Learning method: Workplace (direct delivery)