Animal Care Nursing Assistant Level 2

With growing demand for skilled animal care professionals in the UK, this course is designed to give you hands-on experience and specialist knowledge, preparing you for a rewarding career supporting the health and wellbeing of animals in professional environments.

Throughout your studies, you’ll gain practical skills in animal handling, care routines and veterinary support, all essential for roles in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics, and welfare organisations. Whether you see yourself as a veterinary assistant, animal care technician, or working in kennels or rescue centres, this course provides a solid foundation for your future.

You will learn how to care for them in a variety of ways; from animal health, nursing, kennel management, welfare, feeding and accommodation. You'll hear from guest speakers from across the industry and specialist areas such as exotics specialists and veterinary professionals who will share their wealth of experience and knowledge with you.

Whilst on the course you'll go out into real work environments including animal sanctuaries, pet shops, grooming parlours, animal charities and veterinary practices where you will gain invaluable experience. Previous activities have included: residentials on a working farm in Yorkshire, days working as a zookeeper at Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, Crufts, Yorkshire Wildlife Park, The Deep, Lincolnshire Show and Flamingo Land. Learners get involved in our commercial activities and assist with Dog Grooming and in the Day Kennels, the onsite BlueCross Cattery.

You will usually be assessed through practical assessments, projects, assignments and oral and written questions. There may be exams in some subjects and your tutor will prepare you for these.

Animal Nursing Assistant learners are required to complete 35 hours of internal work experience within a veterinary practice as part of their programme and development of skills, knowledge and behaviour. Internal work experience is also supplemented with talks by industry guests.

3 GCSEs at grade 3 or above, preferably including either English or Maths

This course can lead directly into employment or further study, such as:

Veterinary care assistant or animal nursing roles in clinics, rescue centres or shelters

Progression FdSc Animal Welfare* at the University Centre Grimsby after your Level 3 course. (*Subject to validation)

Specialist pathways in veterinary nursing, animal behaviour or welfare sciences