Animal Care Level 2 (Technical Diploma) Full-time (FAGR)
Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care


What will you be working towards?
Code | BC5 |
Qualification Type | National Award (BTEC) |
Qualification Level | Level 2 |
Course type | Full Time |
Overview
There’s a common saying that you should never work with animals. Try telling that to a Penguinologist…
Whether you’ve got a passion for your penguins, you’re crazy about your cats or you have an almost unhealthy love of llamas, working with animals could be the perfect career move for you. Key skills include being confident handling animals, patience, and a willingness to get your hands dirty. Being good at belly rubs and the ability to scratch behind ears are also desirable. Barnsley College has it’s very own farm! Set in the Worsbrough Country Park area of Barnsley, Wigfield Farm has three main functions:
•A working farm producing livestock
•A base for Barnsley College Land based courses
•An Open Farm and Visitors Centre accessible to the local and wider community
Although farm staff are employed, the day to day work of the farm is undertaken by students following one of our many programmes of study gives them a real working environment to develop their skills and knowledge. We have a wide range of animals including meerkats, cows, goats, Shetland ponies, donkeys, alpacas, pigs, sheep, chickens, red deer, guinea pigs, rabbits and much more. There is also a rodent room and an aquatics room featuring many different varieties of fish and other aquatic life. Our students take a walk on the wild side in our exotics room where they care for and study a variety of reptiles. This course is ideal if you are interested in a career working with animals introducing the main principles and practices of animal care and welfare.
Details
Based at our Wigfield Farm campus, this one year study programme will give you the skills and knowledge that are important when you are working with animals, or progressing to further learning and training in this area.
Course Content
The areas of study are:
- Maintain animal health and welfare
- Animal feeding and accommodation
- Animal behaviour and handling
- Working in the animal care industry
- Health and safety for the land-based industries
- The principles of animal biology
- Care of exotic animals
- You will be required to undertake 150 hours of work placement.
How will it be delivered?
- Two externally set assignments
- One externally set and marked exam, sat under examination conditions
- Internally set assignments
Entry requirements
Four GCSEs at grade 3 or above including English and Maths
OR progression from Level 1 Animal Care Technical Diploma
Your next steps...
You could progress on to the Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma in Animal Management.
Beyond college, there are many opportunities such as Animal Care Assistant, Pet Shop Assistant, Kennel or Cattery worker.