Animal Care
Animal Management
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma
Study animal behaviour, biology, health and nursing on this course and gain practical skills in animal handling and husbandry including kennel, cattery and pet store management. You will also take options such as wildlife care and species conservation, exotics, farm livestock and the management of animal collections.
You will have frequent field trips to locations such as Marwell Zoo, The Hawk Conservancy and the Living Rainforest.
Animal Care
BTEC Level 2 Diploma
Gain the basic skills needed to care for animals and gain practical caring and handling experience in the college'ss own fully staffed animal house. You will also work with a large variety of rare domestic animals at Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm and The Living Rainforest. The course includes at least 120 hours work experience.
Land-Based Studies Diploma
City & Guilds Level 1
Find out what it'ss like working in a land-based industry including the care of animals. You will learn how to handle animals.
“I chose BCoT after having attended an Information Evening, seen the animal house and been impressed by the facilities and the friendliness of the staff.
I initially joined the First Diploma which was a great introduction and gave me the practical experience and knowledge that I lacked. The National Diploma continues to build on that knowledge and each day I learn something new and amazing. I had no idea frogs eat their own skin!
Every two weeks we spend a day at Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm where we learn how to restrain large animals, carry out health checks, muck out the animals, learn about feeding and groom the horses. The farm offers great experience and the rare opportunity to work with saddleback pigs and eriskay ponies.
The course is brilliant, challenging and I just love it! I particularly enjoy the practical side and on a visit to the Living Rain Forest I had the privilege of feeding the monkeys which was great fun. However I was not so keen to pick up the locusts!
The course includes great work experience and placements include veterinary surgeries, wild life sanctuaries, pet shops, farms and stables.
I am a technician in the college’s Animal House and at weekends I feed and administer any medication to the animals – it’s great experience. It is home to lots of furry animals, reptiles, amphibians and some fish. Animals include degu, jird and lizards which I had never seen before and African clawed frogs – cute with red eyes. My favourites are ‘Cedric’ the cornsnake and ‘Wiggy’ the long haired guinea pig.”
Jennifer’s long term ambition is to become a zoo keeper and she is also interested in breeding large rabbits.
Key: entry requirements
Further Study 
GCSE Grades A-C
or other Level 2
GCSE Grades D
or other Level 1
GCSE Grades E
and below
