Belfast Zoo Work Experiance

Mr Saxon

Mr Saxon

Well-Known Member
Hiyas, anyway straight to the point.

I'm 15 currently and will be doing my GCEs this year with plans ahead to become a zookeeper :D And after I've done my GCEs I do work experiance in the year after (which I'll be 17 then).
I'm wanting to do work experiance up at Belfast zoo but I'm not sure if Belfast has that sort of work experiance. Does it? And I know I have to pass my exams first but I'm just looking ahead:D

Cheers;)
 
When it comes to work experience, the best thing to do is to consult this BIAZA which gives the work experience ages and requirements of most UK collections.

Work Experience in BIAZA Collections

Belfast's is:

'Must be 17+. Experience offered in keeping, administration and marketing. Varying lengths from one week to one year. Must be applied via Belfast City Council.'

You're in luck. :)
 
Best thing is to enroll in a zoo animal management course, as part of that you will have to do some work experience. It will also help to have the cover of the colleges insurance as many collections will not be insured to take inexperienced people, so will be unlikly to take you on independently. Anyway Good Luck!
 
It seems to me you have exactly the same plans as me Mr Saxon,
I might stay onto sixth form to gain even more qualifications that could help, but then do an animal management course but i plan in doing my Work Experiance at Linton Zoo :)
Good Luck to all of the young zoochatters including ourselves :)
Next generation's gonna have some great Zoo-People ;)
 
Thanks for the info guys!:p
I know I have to work hard at all GSCs but can you tell me the important ones needed to become a keeper? I know Biology is a defo, and of course Math and english....
 
You need 2 sciences so generally its Biology and Chemistry, Geography could help abit aswell if i do A-Level i will be doing the above 3 and maybe English-Lit,
Hope this helps
 
Riziki said:
You need 2 sciences so generally its Biology and Chemistry, Geography could help abit aswell if i do A-Level i will be doing the above 3 and maybe English-Lit,
Hope this helps
Click to expand...

That's the same as me, except I'm swapping chemistry for physics as I'm really bad at it.
 
I'm good at Biology, Geography and English but suck at Chemistry and Physics....although I'd say physics is considerablily better than Chemistry. It doesn't matter which one you do then? But at least 2 sciences?
 
My careers adviser told me Biology right up until it was all signed off and there was no going back, before discovering chemistry was the better option. ¬¬

I would say, tbh, that you don't really need to focus on what options to take that would get you into zoo, but more what options would get you into college. I know some zoo's take on people after they've left school, but a college course would make you much more employable.

So I would suggest the two sciences and maths as well as English. IT would probably be beneficial too. And then the rest can be anything else you fancy.

To get on my course I needed at least 5 A*-C's including a science and maths. Unfortunately I got a D in Biology, but my B grade maths saw me through.
 
Thanks for the help Huxley-Pig!
I may try and see if Belfast would take me on after school (seriously doubt it though) but worth a shot. But I'll most likely go to college/univeristy...hopefully:p
 
HuxleyPig said:
My careers adviser told me Biology right up until it was all signed off and there was no going back, before discovering chemistry was the better option. ¬¬

I would say, tbh, that you don't really need to focus on what options to take that would get you into zoo, but more what options would get you into college. I know some zoo's take on people after they've left school, but a college course would make you much more employable.

So I would suggest the two sciences and maths as well as English. IT would probably be beneficial too. And then the rest can be anything else you fancy.

To get on my course I needed at least 5 A*-C's including a science and maths. Unfortunately I got a D in Biology, but my B grade maths saw me through.
Click to expand...

Thankfully, my school has a really good sixth form so I don't need to worry about getting into college - just university.
 
Hi there Mr Saxon.

I'm 17 and still at school, hoping to go and study veterinary next year. I tried to gain work experience at belfast zoo. Unfortunately, they were only able to offer work experience to those who were studying an animal-related course at college/university. They can only take 1, maybe 2 people a week and the waiting lists for work experience are so long that they couldn't even squeeze me in!

To make matters worse, the keeper for a day scheme is booked until 2010!

All the best anyway with finding some work experience!!:)
 
Just e-mail them, that's what I did and some reply, some don't, some say "yeah sure, you can even stay here" :D
The most important thing when going into zoo keeping is the experience, that's something every zoo job asks for unless it's trainee. Also, they normally ask for an "Advanced National Certificate in the Management of Zoo Animals or a related qualification".
 
Speaking of which, I have just applied for a job that wants this qualification.

'Related qualification'. Any chance that includes BTEC National Diploma Animal Management?
 
I would hope so, I've just done the same thing! If it doesn't then I'll never get a job lol.
 
Haha, I forgot you took it aswell. I got my certificate through last week, which is handy so I can prove I have it. You had your's through yet?
 
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