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Keeper for the DayBook Now »
Location: Broomfield Hall
Years: 1
Weeks: 1
Hours: 6.00
Start: Various Dates (Please press the Book Now Button to View Dates)
Days / Times:
Tuition (£): 95.00*
Interview: N
Course Summary
This experience aims to provide you with an understanding of the principles of animal husbandry and care through working on the animal unit at the Broomfield Hall campus.
We currently have over 47 species of animals that require our care. As part of your role, you will assist with preparing the animals' food, cleaning, health checking, exercising, handling, providing enrichment, and much more.
You will get to work on all sections of the animal unit and gain valuable insights into what it is like to work as a zoo keeper.
Please ignore the date shown on the booking page as the experience is run at different times throughout the year. If you would like to put a note on your booking form with a desired date and then contact jonathan.taylor@derby-college.ac.uk, we will do our best to accommodate you.
Entry requirements
You need basic literacy and numeracy skills plus some basic knowledge of animal care. You should be aged at least eight years.
Course Content
The course will cover:
- Feeding the animals
- Health checking the animals
- Cleaning their accommodation
- Making enrichment for the animals
- Maintenance of the animal unit
- Exercising the animals
- Handling the animals
How will I be assessed?
There is no assessment.
Are there any additional costs or specialist equipment required?
You will be required to supply your own boots or wellingtons, preferably steel toe-capped. Alternatively, you can borrow some from the animal unit.
What can I do after this course?
Derby College offers a range of one-day, weekend and evening courses relating to Animal Care, as well as a wide variety of other land-based topics - please see the Derby College Part-time Prospectus for a full list and details.
Did you find the course information on this page useful?
* Tuition - This figure is the tuition fee to be paid - There are no concessionary fees available.
Lauren Cooper
One of Lauren’s best ever decisions
Going to Derby College to study animal management is, says higher education student Lauren Cooper, one of the best decisions she has ever made. Lauren, who took her level three qualifications with the College, is now on a higher education animal management course. She hopes to work in a zoo or in canine rehabilitation in the future. Although she has always loved animals, Lauren hadn't realised such learning opportunities were available to her when she first left school with GCSEs. That all changed though after she went along to an open day at Broomfield Hall with her sister Natasha – a Derby College floristry student. As a then 24 year old with a young child, Lauren discovered that she qualified for free tuition on the level 3 animal care course, bursary help with her travel expenses and a free on-site nursery place for son Zander. Lauren, who has two lurchers and a lizard named Scott at home, particularly relishes the hands-on elements of her HNC course – especially handling more unusual species such as porcupines and skunks. Supportive tutors and family fun days which 'tractor mad' Zander loves, are also among other great aspects of studying at Broomfield Hall.
She said: "Taking the decision to come to Broomfield Hall was a no brainer.
"I loved everything about the level 3 course and I'm really enjoying the higher education course I'm on now. I hope my experience will be an inspiration to other people who have a passion for learning how to look after animals."
