Help needed please.

[josh_08]

Hello,

Could somebody tell me what qualifications/courses are needed to become a zookeeper. And also what order i should do them in.

(Animal Care First Diploma, Animal Care NVQ 1 C&G, Animal Management National Diploma, Animal Management National Award an so on.

thanks
josh.

 

[HuxleyPig]

I've obtained a BTEC National Diploma Animal Management, as have many others on here, and I intend to do the City and Guilds once I'm working in a zoo.

Some zoos will take from GCSE level, I know a keeper who was, but more often than not a college qualification helps. I'd say The BTEC Nat Dip Animal Management is a good way to go, and the college you study at will give you lots of pointers of what to do next and where. Especially in your second year of it, where they'll get the uni ball rolling.

 

[James27]

I did the same as Huxley, but my ND also came with an NVQ that we had to do for free. I don't think they really look for NVQ's though to be honest.

 

[Zambar]

I intend to do some academics first, though still animal related (Biology and Environmental Studies at A-Level and Zoology at Uni) before I get down to some practical animal management work and studies. Another good thing is to get an animal related job at a smaller location, like a pet shop or kennels: I intend to get a job at my local aquatics/pet shop next year.

JerseyLotte, one of the members here who is also a keeper, made a very good post in one of the threads here recentley about how she got onto her career path.