Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Animal Management (720)

The Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Animal Management is for you if you are 16 years or older and want to work with animals either directly hands-on or within wider allied services or businesses. It provides you with a wide range of specialist technical practical skills, knowledge and understanding which will equip you to seek employment or further learning and training within the animal care and management, and zoo industries.

This course gives you the opportunity to learn about and build on the essentials of working with and caring for animals which are how to work safely around animals, be responsible for the planning and carrying out animal husbandry, health and handling, and feeding and nutrition. You will also learn about animal behaviour, animal breeds and welfare and animal biology You will then choose to specialise in either zoos and wildlife or animal management and applied science.

Compulsory modules include:

• Health and wellbeing, husbandry and handling
  
• Nutrition and feeding
  
• Animal behaviours and communication
  
• Breed development, breeding and welfare

Students choosing the zoos and wildlife option will study the following areas – wildlife ecology and conservation, wildlife management and rehabilitation, exotic animal husbandry and zoological collections, plus you will learn about further topics such as aquatics, avians or population surveys. These will prepare you for roles in wildlife settings or zoological collections.

Those selecting the animal management and applied science will be developing the knowledge and skills through studying the following areas – pet store management, kennel and cattery management and the fundamentals of science, plus you will learn about further topics such as animal training, animal nursing or inheritance and genetics. These will prepare you for careers either in more technical positions or within the animal care sector such as kennels and catteries.

This qualification exposes you to many parts of the animal care and management industries, and the opportunities within them. On completion, it is likely that you will enter the industry by working within an animal welfare organisation, a wildlife park or zoo, a veterinary practice or perhaps a business such as a pet store, feed company or dog grooming salon. As you will have gained a wide range of skills and knowledge over a wide range of units, you could progress within work to become a:

In zoo and wildlife pathway

• General zoo worker
• Assistant warden
• Wildlife assistant

In animal management and applied science pathway

• Kennel and cattery supervisor
• Dog grooming assistant
• Pet store assistant
• Animal feed sales representative
• Animal centre deputy manager

You may also wish to become self-employed, and undertake roles such as a freelance animal trainer.

On completion of the course, you could continue within education and progress onto an Advanced Apprenticeship in Animal Management, which allows you to combine working in a kennel or cattery, pet store, welfare centre or in a similar business, and typically attending one day a week at college or with a training provider. Or you may wish to progress onto further learning within a Higher Education Institution – search for Animal Management courses.

For more information, please see the Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Animal Management Qualification Handbook

Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Animal Management (720) website