Question for the Zookeepers (UK)

Edie

Edie

Member
Just wondered if any zookeepers here could give me some advice.

I read that a Firearms Certificate could be advantageous when seeking a job as a zookeeper and have seen some zoo vacancies that mention it.

I emailed a local shooting club about getting some coaching in shooting with a view to eventually obtaining a firearms certificate. I said I wanted to do it because I want to work in a zoo and it would be advantageous to have a firearms certificate.

They have replied to say they spoke to the HR manager at London Zoo, who "adamantly denied" a firearms certificate would be mentioned on a zookeeping job advert as I claim, and I am therefore unsuitable for membership now or at any time in the future.

Are there any zookeepers here who have managed to get some firearms training? What did you say you wanted it for?
 
Zoo Jobs: Animal Carer - Isle of Wight Zoo

Zoo Jobs: Search results for firearm

I suspect there must have been some kind of confusion or miscommunication in what was asked/understood by the person you spoke to at ZSL.

"Advantageous" attributes in a job advert are just suggestions of things to help you stand out from the crowd and show your determination, they won't be dealbreakers, perhaps the person you spoke to got the wrong end of the stick?

Obviously larger collections require a "dart gun team" or trained persons in the event of an emergency, escape etc so a firearms certificate would be nice. So would manual handling training, full first aid training, ability to use a chainsaw!, climbing and rope skills, forklift or heavy goods license, the list goes on! :D
 
Should have said, I'm quite suprised at the reaction of the shooting club.

Why did you need to have a reason to be interested in the first place? Maybe things are lax round here or something, but I recently went on a complete beginners session at the local shooting club and they were some of the most friendly and encouraging people I ever met (shooting is also awesome.)
 
It was not me who contacted ZSL, the shooting club did this so I don't know exactly what was said. I'm not sure what they asked to provoke a response of "adamantly deny." It makes it sound like I made some accusation!

Your experience is reassuring. I thought I should explain my reasons to show I was serious about it, but it seems to have backfired in this case! It was quite clear from the tone of their email to me that we are all through here, so I will try approaching a different shooting club and just ask about coaching sessions. If they do ask for more explanation I could include some links to specific vacancies that mention it.

I've come to zookeeping rather late as I turn 30 in a few months, so I'm bound to be behind other applicants my own age. That's why I'm keen to get some experiences/training to make my CV stand out from the crowd, as well as an animal care course starting Sept 2012.

Anyway, thank you for your reply. It's good to know this could still be possible and you've given me some very useful ideas of other things I can do as well.
 
Sounds to me like a shooting club (perhaps wisely) being certain to check out potential members, and a HR person who didn't actually know a great deal about looking after animals. The person answering the phone may well have been a volunteer and was almost certainly someone who has nothing to do with animal care.

If I was you I'd firstly look at getting some of the other skills Jersey suggests (useful though it might be, would you rather be the guy who uses the chainsaw or the guy who has to shoot an escaped animal?) I can sort of see why a nice HR person who hadn't really thought it through might be a bit taken aback by someone trying to get a shooting certificate as a means to get zoo work....

If you really want to pursue the shooting, I'd go back to the same club with those job links. Sounds like they are a responsible club and therefore a good one. It's not their fault if they spoke to the wrong person at London.
 
PS: Just looked at the linked job adverts. They are all for jobs working with large carnivores, and for people who already have experience. NOT entry level zoo jobs. Sounds like you would be better looking at other routes in.

I recently attended a 'backstage with the keepers' event at ZSL where they made it pretty clear that number one route in is via volunteering at the zoo.
 
Fire Arms Training

Most large zoos that contain dangerous, life threatening animals will certainly have fire-arms on sight and protocols for dealing with escapes.

In my experience in managing a large animal collection there is no need for staff to have a firearms certificate as collections tend to give training for those who wish to join a 'capture team'. A number of UK zoos undertake training via external specialist companies with experiences in the use of firearms and wildlife.

An example is HERE.

Moreover, staff are granted firearms certificates on this basis only after being vetted by the local licensing authorities - in the case in London this would be the a Metropolitan police.

I would also add that in my personal experience and because of the nature of the possible work involved those who did join zoo 'capture teams' were volunteers.
 
Thank you for all the replies.

As I'm a few years off making applications for a job, I've decided to leave this for now and focus on other training and experience that could be advantageous instead.

As a firearms certificate is issued by the local police and I may have to move for work, I may as well wait and see where I will be working and apply there, if I decide to at all.
 
Edie said:
I've come to zookeeping rather late as I turn 30 in a few months, so I'm bound to be behind other applicants my own age. That's why I'm keen to get some experiences/training to make my CV stand out from the crowd, as well as an animal care course starting Sept 2012.
Click to expand...

Whilst I like your thinking outside the box to get an advantage over some of your likely competitors, taking on gun training is a little bit over the top, for now anyway.

I agree with other suggestions that have been made, chainsaw, tractors, forklift trucks, all more advantageous then being able to fire a boomstick, because I can assure you, being able to fire one at a static target on a range, and being able to operate one during an escape proceedure, drill or otherwise are two very very different things.

The best thing you can do is get as much experience as you can, either volunteering at a zoo or with non-domestics, and build a good sound knowledge of the working environment of a zoo, good points and bad, I've seen many people get tripped up over questions like the role of a modern day zoo ( Conservation, Education, Resource, Recreation, text book answer) and their opinions on euthansia as a management tool.

Your CV is to show you can do a job, an interview is to see you have the passion and dedication for the collection for you to want the job, thankfully there are still zoo managers out there that appreciate that zoo keeping is by and large a vocation, and passion and interest is to many still more important then qualifications (what good is a degree in say marine biology if your applying for a job working with ungulates?) so Learn as much as you can about ethics, enrichment (so easy to do with some great youtube channels and facebook groups) and other zoo based things, imersion exhibits / mixed exhibits and then start hitting the application trail.

One piece of advice is never be afraid to fire off a CV to collection thats advertising a vacancy, frequently the vacancy is filled via internal promotion(s) and you'll be at the top of the pile for any lower ranking vacancy applicants.

Good luck
 
HI,
I understand your quest. We offer training to the Police (Tactical Firearms Units) and also zoo's and wildlife parks. If you just Google wms firearmstraining you will be directed straight to us for more information. Our client base includes Chessington, Twycross, Woburn, Bristol, Blairdrummond, Knowsley and others.
WMS offers in situ or ex situ training and practice, with our 5000 acre range and lecture facilities in Mid Wales offering everything for aposite zoo training including fire and movement, vehicle drills and night shoots.
Look us up, we are the best kept secret in the zoo community!
 
As a former full time keeper and one who still volunteers with wildlife..forget the license for a while..normally refers to keepers with experience as adage..most important thing is volunteer volunteer..I had to study to qualify once I got into full time..a degree wasnt really all that.everyone has to do the course for two years.. places will train you once you get a place on a gun team..I have some firearm experience but would still have to train..was normally senior keepers ..every place different..I.e. a small collection would require more people trained for emergency
 
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