Animal Care (Practical Skills) Level 3 (FAGR)

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. We have a wide range of animals including chickens, cows, donkeys, goats, guinea pigs, llamas, meerkats, pigs, rabbits, sheep, as well as a rodent room. 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.

Based at our Wigfield Farm campus, this one year study programme is for learners who wish to improve their practical skills and knowledge of the care and welfare for a variety of animals and prepare themselves to work in this interesting industry.

You will further develop the skills and knowledge required to work or study within the animal care industry.

The areas of study are:

• Promote and maintain the health and well-being of animals
• Promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security of the workplace
• Plan the handling and restraint of animals
• Plan, supervise and control the movement of animals
• Plan the accommodation of animals
• Establish animals in a new environment
• Manage the care of young animals
• Handle animals
• Work experience

Pass in a Level 2 Animal Care related qualification

Functional Skills Level 1 in English and Maths

Learners who achieve this qualification could progress in to employment or further study. The course does not carry any UCAS points.

Beyond college, there are many opportunities such as trainee veterinary nurse (further study required), pet shop supervisor, senior kennel worker, RSPCA