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Become a
Zookeeper
Turn Your Passion For Animals Into A Career
Nowadays, zoos do a lot for animal welfare, they don’t just present exotic animals to fascinated visitors. Modern zoos play a part in essential conservation work and breeding programmes that support endangered species around the world.
In addition to this, they also educate the public, informing them on important issues such as climate change and poaching. This will hopefully lead to inspiring them to help the cause and make a difference.
A career in a zoo or wildlife park is both rewarding and important work. Not to mention you get to work with fascinating animals every day which is the opportunity of a lifetime.
The Zookeeping Level 3 Diploma (RQF) is a regulated qualification for aspiring zookeepers. It’s nationally recognised across UK zoos and wildlife parks giving you the essential knowledge to enter this field of work.
Most of the course is online study so you’re able to study with minimal impact on your schedule. There is a 1-week practical element as well that allows you to gain real-life experience ready for employment.
What’s more, you’re able to start learning straight away. Unlike a physical college where you’d need to wait for term time to begin. So you’re able to progress with your studies and get into a career you’ll love within the year.
Enrol today from
only £9.99/mo
100% online learning and assessment
Self-paced study
Study around other commitments
24/7 access to online learning
100% online learning and assessment
Self-paced study
Enrol today from
only £9.99/mo
Study around other commitments
24/7 access to online learning
The Zookeeping Level 3 Diploma (RQF) is an in-depth course that develops the knowledge needed to become a qualified zookeeper. Expanding your understanding of zookeeping by covering the core elements required.
You’ll learn about animal welfare and ethics and the conservation side of zookeeping. As well as animal management and disease and prevention to ensure the wellbeing of animals under your care.
This course also includes a practical element that allows you to gain first-hand experience of working in zoos. Putting the theory you’ve learnt to the test in an actual zoo amongst other professional keepers.
Once you’ve completed the course you’ll have a nationally recognised qualification and industry experience too. Helping your application stand out to potential employers.
Practical Training
This qualification also includes 1-week practical training at a zoo. Allowing you to test your theoretical knowledge into practical real-life scenarios. You’ll gain first-hand experience working in zoos with qualified zookeepers.
The week will include:
- Learning about primate nutrition and behaviour
- Conservation and Sustainability
- Exploring the specialist care needed to cater to reptiles and invertebrates
- Zoo administration: Including ZIMs, EEPs, Studbook management, Zoo licensing
- Free time to research personal projects and area of interests
- Direct contact with a range of animals such as giraffes, penguins, prosimians, aardvarks, tapirs, and sea lions
- Access your course materials immediately
- Tutor support via our market-leading platform
- Study around existing commitments
- Progress as quickly as you’d like
- Tailored individual learning plan to help you succeed
- Engaging content; from videos to interactive quizzes
- Industry-leading 5 days marking turnaround
- Live class scheduled between 10 am to 8 pm daily (including weekends)
- Access to our video library of previous lectures available on-demand
- Interact with your tutors directly during your class
- Network with like-minded students via our chat functionality
- Take live classes multiple times or access recordings as you like
- Tutor support via our market-leading platform
- Study around existing commitments
- Progress as quickly as you’d like
- Tailored individual learning plan to help you succeed
- Engaging content; from videos to interactive quizzes
- Industry-leading 5 days marking turnaround
- Access your course materials immediately
- Tutor support via our market-leading platform
- Study around existing commitments
- Progress as quickly as you’d like
- Tailored individual learning plan to help you succeed
- Engaging content; from videos to interactive quizzes
- Industry-leading 5 days marking turnaround
On-Demand & Live Classes
- Live class scheduled between 10 am to 8 pm daily (including weekends)
- Access to our video library of previous lectures available on-demand
- Interact with your tutors directly during your class
- Network with like-minded students via our chat functionality
- Take live classes multiple times or access recordings as you like
- Tutor support via our market-leading platform
- Study around existing commitments
- Progress as quickly as you’d like
- Tailored individual learning plan to help you succeed
- Engaging content; from videos to interactive quizzes
- Industry-leading 5 days marking turnaround
Unit 1: Animal Welfare and Ethics
Unit 2: Conservation and Zoos
Unit 3: Development of Zoos
Unit 4: Disease and Prevention
Unit 5: Enrichment and Training
Unit 6: Legislation and Zoological Collections
Unit 7: Management of Animals in a Zoo
Unit 8: Zoo Design
Unit 9: Zoos and the Media
The learner needs to be 16 years or over and have a genuine interest in animal conservation and welfare. No previous academic experience is needed to enrol onto the course. However, previous experience in animal care is advisable.
You will also need a stable internet connection and a reliable laptop to complete the online elements of the course.
When studying the Zookeeping Level 3 Diploma (RQF), you will cover a range of units that make up the qualification. Presenting a portfolio of your work to your tutor for marking and tailored feedback.
Practical Training
This qualification also includes 1-week practical training at a zoo. Allowing you to test your theoretical knowledge into practical real-life scenarios. You’ll gain first-hand experience working in zoos with qualified zookeepers.
The week will include:
- Learning about primate nutrition and behaviour
- Conservation and Sustainability
- Exploring the specialist care needed to cater to reptiles and invertebrates
- Zoo administration: Including ZIMs, EEPs, Studbook management, Zoo licensing
- Free time to research personal projects and area of interests
- Direct contact with a range of animals such as giraffes, penguins, prosimians, aardvarks, tapirs, and sea lions
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be awarded the Open College Network West Midlands Zookeeping Level 3 Diploma (RQF) (603/4158/0)
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We maintain a strong “Excellent” on independent review centre, TrustPilot.Frequently Asked Questions
There is a huge range of benefits to studying via distance education:
Flexibility
We believe distance education is all about convenience and flexibility. You can plan your study around your work or lifestyle commitments, so you’re only studying at times convenient for you.
Plus, you can improve your education without having to attend classes at a physical location. What’s more, with learndirect, you can study when and where you like without the stress of deadlines or time limits and complete your course at your own pace.
Affordability
We don’t have the same level of high overhead costs (e.g. classrooms and large campuses) as traditional schools, colleges or universities, so we’re able to pass on these savings to you by reducing our course fees.
Choice
We offer over 650 home study courses for you to choose from, with an unrivalled selection of quality distance education courses accredited by some of the most respected awarding bodies in the UK.
Support
You have access to a dedicated tutor who is an experienced professional in their field of study. Your tutor is totally committed to helping you succeed and is on hand to answer any questions you may have, no matter how big or small.
All of our qualifications have different awarding bodies, and depending on the subject, they will meet different criteria depending on the level of the qualification and its content.
We typically use the OFQUAL register to help us benchmark our courses and ensure the education you receive is up to the relevant industry standards. If you would like to check a specific qualification, please contact one of our helpful advisers by calling 01202 006 464.Many of our courses include one or more of the following hands on aspects to enhance the online learning you will receive.
Many of our RQF courses include a placement, these placements are fantastic opportunities for you to secure a work experience placement in a relevant industry and get real on the job experience while you learn. For example many of our Teaching Assistant courses give you an opportunity to approach and work within a local school.
Time in our state of the art academy's for certain subjects, for example our Foot Health Practitioner courses run multiple hands on class based options in our bespoke learning environments.
Further to this some of our courses include practical kits for you to use while you study and even keep after the course! For example many of our Nail Technician courses include an extensive kit included with the course at no additional charge.
We encourage and welcome international students to join our learning community.
All of our courses are specifically designed to be delivered via distance education and home study, so you can complete your course from anywhere in the world. Some courses relate specifically to UK practice and legislation and in these cases all work must be presented accordingly. There will be no need for you to attend any physical location like a test centre or campus, unless your course has a 'practical' element to it.