Apprentice Animal Care Assistant

A bit about us:

Do you want to create a better world for animals? At the RSPCA, we believe all animals deserve kindness and respect. We work for the benefit of every animal – as well as pets, that includes farmed animals, wildlife, and animals used in science. Choose a career with us and make a difference for every kind.

We’re looking for a dedicated Apprentice Animal Care Assistant to join our team at Bryn-y-Maen on 24 month fixed term contract. Gain hands-on experience and a qualification while making a real difference to animal lives.

Working hours: 35 hours per week (8:15-4:15), Bryn-y-Maen works on a 4 week rolling rota which includes 3 out of 4 weekends.
Work for the colleague will be completed remotely and Colleague meetings will be completed during working hours.
It’s important to us that you feel part of our team from the start. We like to keep in touch with regular check-ins and team meetings. There’s always a teammate around for support or a quick chat.

Are you ready to join our movement?

What a day might look like for you:

Please do not apply for this apprenticeship if you already have a level 2 animal care or level 3 animal management qualification as you will not be legible.

The apprenticeship will be delivered with a mixture of virtual classrooms and face to face visits from your tutor. Each month you will work towards different modules relevant to your role. Throughout your journey you will be supported not only by the Training Provider, but the RSPCA Early Careers & Apprenticeships team.

• Here’s an overview of how the apprenticeship works:
  You will attend a mixture of virtual and in person learning sessions facilitated by your Training Provider throughout the course of your apprenticeship.
• You will be required to complete assignments, essays and additional reading alongside your qualification.
• You will be expected to apply your learning from the course in your day-to-day role, and to document this in a Portfolio of Evidence.
• 20% of your working week will be dedicated to your learning, known as ‘off the job training’.
• Your training is fully funded by the RSPCA apprenticeship levy, all that you need to do is bring your best self & commit to your learning journey with us! Take a look at more information about this apprenticeship by clicking here.
• As an Apprentice Animal Care Assistant you will be providing care for all animals in the Centre whilst establishing positive and professional relationships with members of the public and your colleagues.

With training the expectation is that you are able to;

• Provide daily care: feeding, cleaning, and grooming animals.
• Assist with health checks and basic veterinary tasks.
• Support animal behaviour monitoring and training.
• Interact with the public, offering adoption advice.
• Maintain accurate records and assist with centre operations.

It’s hard work and there may be upsetting situations that you will encounter on a day to day basis but you’ll have the support of an incredible dedicated team and mentors to guide you through your journey.

• What you’ll bring:
• A genuine passion for animal welfare.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills are vital.
• Comfortable with digital learning and animal record keeping.
• Able to handle challenging situations involving vulnerable animals.
• Eager to learn and bring enthusiasm to the role.
• Happy to work outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Comfortable handling diverse animals, including those with challenging backgrounds.
• Willing to clean animal enclosures and handle waste.
• Able to work shifts between 8:15am to 4:15pm, including weekends.
• Holding a driving licence is desirable due to limited availability to public transport.

Successful candidates for certain RSPCA roles will need to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK – We are unable to sponsor visas at RSPCA.

Due to high interest in some of our roles, we review applications as they are received. This can occasionally result in positions closing earlier than advertised. Therefore, we strongly recommend submitting applications early. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications after the posted closing date.

We want to ensure we do all we can to give you a positive candidate experience through our recruitment. Whilst we do try to give feedback where we can, sometimes due to receiving high levels of applications, this may not always be possible

We are building the future of a diverse Society, and our priority is to support animal welfare by finding people from all backgrounds who are committed  to our mission.  For this reason we actively encourage a wide diversity of applications – in particular from members of minority ethnic groups, and people with disabilities – as these candidates are currently under-represented at the RSPCA. Your transferable skills & lived experiences could make you a valuable addition to our RSPCA Family!

Should you need any support with your application or interview process please contact resourcingteam@rspca.org.uk / 0300 123 0685.

Our mission is to ensure animals have a good life by rescuing and caring for those in need, by advocating on behalf of all animals and by inspiring everyone to treat them with compassion and respect.