Animal Care and Welfare Manager Apprentice
RNN Group (Dearne Valley College)
About the Role
<p>We are a small, hands-on and extremely hard-working team, striving for excellence at all times and proving industry role models to the students at Dearne Valley College. <br>The apprentice's main role will be to assist the animal care instructors and lecturers with the efficient and safe running of the animal unit.</p>
You will work as part of the Animal Care and Land-based Department, being a vital part of this team.
You will report to the Animal Care Unit Manager, and work closely with Technicians, Assessor/Trainers, Lecturers, Curriculum Team Leader and the Curriculum Manager, as well as with other stakeholders such as IT, Finance, Admin and Estates.
As part of your role, you will help care for a wide range of animals from small mammals, farm livestock and rodents, to aquatics, exotics and zoo species. You will be required to uphold the highest welfare standards and to ensure records are kept up to date, where
appropriate.
You will be required to work with all members in the organisation, from those within the direct animal care team to estates, Admin and IT.
You may assist with veterinary visits where appropriate. As part of the apprenticeship, you will complete an online portfolio to undertake a range of relevant Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours that form part of the qualification standards. You will work with the animal care Assessor/Trainer to assist you with the written part of your qualification.
We are a driven team who have developed the centre from scratch and are all extremely proud of what we have achieved. Therefore, the candidate will have to be happy to work within a tenacious and driven team. The students themselves provide many challenges and have to be constantly pushed to reach industry standards and speed. Therefore, it is important for our apprentice to be comfortable helping the students do to this, which could mean repeating the same rule or expectation day in and out, developing the skill to have authority with approachability.
We would expect our apprentice to have an understanding of the need to have a professional distance from the Dearne Valley College students and an awareness of safeguarding responsibilities. They would also be expected to be confident enough to enforce the animal unit and college rules and ensure that students worked in a safe and
risk-free environment.
The information given below is intended to provide an understanding and appreciation of the workload of the job and its role within the College. This role profile outlines the main duties and responsibilities in general terms only and is not intended to be prescriptive.
- An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.
- Adopt a professional and industry correct manner and create an environment where the welfare of the animals is the primary concern.
- Assist the unit animal care Assessor/Trainers with the efficient and safe running of the animal unit.
- Undertake all aspects of animal care duties, including cleaning out, feeding, watering and all animal care duties.
- Help to oversee students, our volunteers and work experience students.
- Be confident in enforcing the animal unit and college rules and ensure that students work in a safe and risk-free environment.
- Carry out duties as a First Aider as and when required.
Ideally, the candidate will already have a Level 2 qualification in literacy and numeracy, but if not, then we would ensure they were able to complete these as part of their programme of study. They can undertake this internally with the RNN Group. Experience of handling/working with a range of animals and experience in animal care and welfare. The role will involve working outdoors and with animals. PPE will be provided with training. Correct manual handling training will be provided, and equipment to support where any heavy lifting is required. All posts are subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Possible progression into a role as an Animal Care and Land-Based Technician.
About the Training
About the Employer
RNN Group is an education and training provider, meeting the needs of thousands of employers, adults and school leavers every year and contributing at the heart of our communities.
The RNN Group includes five campuses of career-focused further and higher education in South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire which includes; Rotherham College, North Notts College, Dearne Valley College, University Centre Rotherham, alongside our partner organisation the National Fluid Power Centre.
We educate school leavers, undergraduates, employees and those re-joining the workforce, with a focus on ensuring learners leave equipped with the necessary skills to join or re-join the workforce.
We work in partnership with schools, employers and local organisations to continually ensure we are leading and delivering on innovation and skills in our communities.
In total, we employ or engage over 800 staff to educate and train over 11,000 people each year, including over 1,000 apprentices.
We work at the centre of our local communities, contributing to civic life and economic renewal. Through events, volunteering and charitable efforts, we reach out to individuals and groups.
From our heartlands in the Sheffield City Region and the East Midlands, we help companies succeed and individuals learn their way to career security and personal and professional fulfilment and happiness.
Skills Required
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
- Confidence
- Flexibility
- Knowledge of animals
- Helpful
- Integrity
- Commitment to safeguarding
- Respectful
- Willing to undertake training
Training Provider
DCG
Course/Training
Animal care and welfare manager (level 3)