Course Overview

As a qualification that leading animal welfare organisations invest in for their own staff training, this City & Guilds accredited programme is ideal if you have already worked in the animal care sector for some time and are working in a supervisory or managerial role. This qualification will demonstrate and develop your skills in planning and coordinating the care of animals and the leadership of staff in the workplace.

This work based, distance learning programme will not require you to come into College. Your course materials will be provided via our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), meaning you can access these in your own time, at work or at home, or even on the move!

As one of the leading providers of work-based animal care training in the UK, our experienced team of assessors will be here to support and help you to achieve your qualification in a timely manner. When you choose to study with us, you can be assured of our commitment to you.

Key Facts

  • Attendance: If you undertake the work-based learning programme you will not be required to come into College; you will be allocated a work-based assessor who will support you through your qualification.
  • Duration: 14-16 months
  • Start date: The work-based learning programme can be started at any time.
  • Location: As this qualification is work-based no college attendance is required. Your tuition will be provided online, and you will be supported by a personal tutor who will assess your work and provide feedback. Regular contact and support will be carried out by your tutor via email, telephone and Microsoft Teams.
Course Content

Over the course of the qualification you will undertake the following mandatory units:

  • Implement, monitor and evaluate plans for the health and welfare 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 diets and feeding regimes for animals
  • Monitor and evaluate the feeding of animals
  • Plan the accommodation of animals
  • Monitor and evaluate the accommodation of animals
  • Load and unload animals for transportation
  • Establish animals in a new environment

You will then choose from a range of optional units such as:

  • Welcome, receive and care for visitors to sites
  • Provide advice and guidance on the choice and care of animals to prospective keepers
  • Assess the suitability of new environments for the placement of animals
  • Recognise and interpret the behaviour of animals
  • Prepare for the transportation of animals
  • Maintain the health and welfare of animals during transportation
  • Plan, monitor and evaluate the transportation of animals
  • Encourage and motivate volunteers
  • Manage the work of volunteers
  • Organise the receipt and storage of goods in a retail environment
  • Help customers to choose products in a retail environment
  • Maintain the availability of goods for sale to customers in a retail environment

Some of these units are optional and may be replaced with other units depending on your job role and interests. This will be discussed with you at induction.

Assessment

Course assessment consists of completing a portfoilio and passing work-based practical assessments.

Entry Requirements

There are no formal academic entry requirements; however you should be employed or volunteering, in a supervisory or managerial position, in a suitable animal care environment, such as a boarding kennels or cattery, animal charity, zoo or wildlife centre for a minimum of 20 hours per week. You must have a mentor in your workplace who is willing to support you through your qualification.

This course is only available to those living in the UK.

Course Fees

Course fees can either be paid in full before the beginning of the course, on an annual basis, or via our ‘Pay As You Learn’ monthly payment scheme

If you have not achieved your qualification by the planned end date detailed in your individual learning plan, you will be able to continue to receive support and access to your course by paying monthly direct debit payments until certification of your award.

Course Fees

Full Fee Annual Monthly
£6,395 £4,275 at the beginning of the programme
£2,120 at the start of year 2		 £359 per month

Awarding Body Fees*: £224.90

* Awarding Body Fees are payable by all students or employers and recharged at cost and may be subject to change.

CAW Loans2Learn Scheme
The CAW Loans2Learn scheme is a personal loan that can help you to spread the cost of your course into manageable payments. The loan can be used to fully or partially cover your course fees (but does not cover any awarding body fees, such as enrolment and examination fees). More information can be found here.

Sources of financial help can be found on our student finance page. Before making any financial decision it is recommended that you seek advice from an independent source, for example the Money Advice Service.

These are current figures and may be subject to change. The differences in course fees reflect the level of funding that is available as a result of government policies and priorities. These may be as a result of age, employment status, previous education achievements, or location for example, and are outside the control of The College of Animal Welfare.

What Next?

Completion of this course should give you the leadership skills and abilities needed to effectively plan and coordinate the care of animals and the allocation of tasks to staff within the workplace. This puts you in an excellent position professionally, particularly when applying for supervisory and managerial positions within the animal care industry. If you’re looking for your next opportunity, our online jobs board advertises current animal care jobs from time-to-time.

You may wish to continue your studies by undertaking a Higher Education course, such as a foundation degree in animal management (subject to individual university entry requirements) or look at other related courses such as behaviour or training.