Finally decided what I want to do with my life

[Tally]

After 10 years of working in supermarkets, I have finally decided what I want to do with my life.

 

I want to be a zookeeper. It's very competitive because everyone wants to do that. And of course, I want to go for the most competitive area of all - big cats.

 

I gave up hope when I thought I would need a degree.

 

Anyway, I've been looking into it properly and most vacancies I've seen are asking for only very basic qualifications like GCSEs and basic literacy and computer skills. But in reality, it's extremely helpful to have some additional formal qualifications in animal care and most importantly A FIREARMS LICENCE . . . oh, and experience.

 

I've been looking up vocational courses and most of them are 1-2 years. At first it seemed like a backward move as they are below A-Level standard and I already have A-Levels. But actually it's not because my A-Levels are no use for zookeeping and haven't taught me anything about animal behaviour, feeding and care.

 

Most of the courses require some experience already before you even start.

 

So I have applied for a voluntary position as an animal trainer at a zoo. I have told them about my experience to date that has led to me becoming interested in animal behaviour (my own pet cats), and my plans to get formal qualifications and eventually apply for a paid position in a zoo. They weren't really looking for much, if any, experience, but at least it gives some background about where my interest came from and why I want to volunteer.

 

I'm also going to apply for a firearms licence, watch out for me and my gun!

[Mumble]

I'm also going to apply for a firearms licence, watch out for me and my gun!

Guess who won't be getting an invite to the next forum meet-up!

 

It sounds great, and I hope it works out for you. I don't know how these things work, but could you first work with a different less popular animal type and then transfer once you have animal looking after skills?

[bid]

Tally, how exciting!!

 

Hope everything works out for you.

 

Bid

[Tally]

Most keepers seem to work with a variety of animals throughout their career so I think that is what I would have to do. A lot of the skills are transferrable anyway, and you may be needed to cover absence so even a cat keeper would be expected to work with other animals sometimes.

 

A lot of the courses start out with a 1-year course, and then you can top it up to the next level by doing an extra year. So I might be able to start applying for jobs after the first year, and then if I don't get one I can start the second year to get a better qualification.

 

There is an NVQ level 3 that you can do only once you're working in a zoo, and a lot of zoos seem to put their staff through this course. So doing the NVQ level 1 & 2 might be a good grounding for this course. But there are other courses too including diplomas and foundation degrees, so I need to look at them properly and work out what seems best.

[Tally]

I never imagined I would say this, but I have just emailed a gun club

[Kathryn]

One way to ensure that troublesome neighbours, work colleagues and exes will never bother you again...

 

Go for it! It's obvious that's what you really want to do. Wish I'd had the courage to pursue my dreams when I was younger.

 

K x

[rannoch]

Just wondering. Will AS affect your application for a firearm certificate? You have to declare all medical conditions and the police may contact your GP for further information. There are plans to tighten up the gun licensing laws further, as a result of the incident in Cumbria last year.

[oxgirl]

Tally, this is what Jay wants to do, work in a zoo. For his 18th birthday in November I've booked him in for zookeeper for a day at our nearest wildlife park. He wanted to do an animal management course at college last year but was put off because a lot of the work was with dogs and he hates dogs. I'd be really interested in how you get on and what qualifications you'd need to work in a zoo or animal park. Good luck with it. <'>

 

~ Mel ~

[bid]

Tally, weren't you doing a course on wild cats? That will look good on any application

 

Bid

[Tally]

Having looked around the internet, AS would be something the police would want to know more about, but there is no blanket policy. But I've read that if you can drive a car you can likely obtain a firearms certificate. So I think I would probably be able to get one, but I'm not 100% certain. I don't really want actually to own a gun, but it might look strange to apply for a certificate if I don't intend to own one, so I'm prepared to buy one only if it would make the application easier. With my lack of experience, it's just one more thing that could boost my CV, but it's not essential.

 

My course on wild cats will definitely look good too, but it's very much the academic side and doesn't cover their care in captivity, which is why I need a vocational qualification as well.

 

Mel, I will PM you some of the links I've been looking at. I don't like dogs either, I'm a bit scared of them, but I think some contact with them is inevitable. Learning about their behaviour may give Jay (and me) a bit more confidence dealing with them and generally improve confidence in dealing with unfamiliar animals. The Zookeeper for a day will definitely give him an idea about what is involved in zookeeping, and the opportunity to chat to keepers and ask how they got into the job. I did one a few years ago at Chessington and they didn't shy away from giving me the heavy and smelly jobs!

[baddad]

It's Johnny Morris!

 

A good excuse for posting this, I feel:

 

 

Hope all goes well

 

L&P

 

BD

[Kathryn]

Oh I never get tired of seeing this clip!

 

(The Blue Peter - elephant poo one for anyone who can't see it)

 

K x

[Tally]

I had a long talk about this with my dad today.

 

I'd previously been looking into degrees in Zoology, but about 2/3 of the course material is irrelavant to a career in zookeeping, and I wouldn't learn the practical skills of caring for a captive animal. So I would study for 3 years and then still be lacking in work experience. Although I'd really enjoy a Zoology degree, I think I would feel like I was wasting a lot of time doing it that way.

 

My mum is very keen on education for education's sake and has been encouraging me to go to university ever since I expressed an interest. This has been very encouraging, but I feel like I haven't got time to waste studying the irrelevant bits. I am not interested in qualifications just for the sake of it, I just want to be a zookeeper and I'm only interested in qualifications if they will help toward that goal.

 

Some of the courses I've been looking at are at quite a low academic level. They ask for qualifications like 3 GCSEs at grade D-G, whereas I have A Levels. But they are only 1 year long so if they are adequate then it seems sensible to go for the quick option.

 

Of the 2-year courses there are BTECs and Foundation Degrees. If I'm going to study for 2 years, then it seems sensible to go for the higher level Foudation Degree. The advantage of a Foundation Degree is that I could "top up" to a full BSc with an extra year's study if it turned out I still couldn't get work. Just because I am capable of a more academic subject like Zoology doesn't mean it would help with the career I want. I think my dad can see that and I hope he'll be able to explain it to my mum too.

 

There's a lot to think about because I own my own home and it's going to be difficult to go away to study. It's not worth selling and re-buying to study, and then possibly doing it all again if I have to move again for work in a year or two. I can't go and live in halls because I have a pet cat that I am unwilling to part with, and who most people in their right minds would be unwilling to take in. I can leave her at home on her own for up to 2 nights, but I can't go away Monday to Friday.

 

I have narrowed it down to 3 colleges within reasonable travelling distance. One of them does not offer the Foundation Degree but does have an excellent reputation, and one of them may be more agricultural-based. The other offers a course specifically designed for mature students and I'm booked in to go to an open day in June. The perfect course, unfortunately, is much too far away.

[Kathryn]

A foundation degree sounds like a good option and will give you a lot of choices in the long term. I think BTec's are more vocational but they don't lead to anything else study- wise- except perhaps a higher level BTec.

 

Good luck!

 

K x

[Tally]

Having felt so positive I am now having a MAJOR wibble!

 

I have wanted to be a zookeeper for a few years now. That is not what the wibble is about.

 

What really terrifies me is that part of the training involves taking up work experience placements in 2-3 week blocks. I might have to go away from home for 3 weeks at a time. There are so many other fears and hurdles I will have to overcome, but it's only this one that makes me feel sick and dizzy.

[Tally]

I went to an open evening at a college. It was very useful and has given me some more options to think about. Just when I'd drawn up a shortlist of courses as well!

 

Got to see some fantastic animals including a red kite, some kind of giant owl, newborn bearded dragons and also an iguana that looked a bit like my dad.

[Mumble]

newborn bearded dragons

Hmm ... you do know that dragons aren't real, right? Me thinks they may be having you on...

[mossgrove]

Sounds like a good move.

 

I really hope it works out for you.

 

 

Simon

[Kathryn]

I'm intrigued to know how an Iguana can look like your dad.

 

K x

Edited May 20, 2011 by Kathryn

[darkshine]

Thanks Tally for starting this post, it made me smile, zoos, big cats, gun licences - who could ask for more?!? Actually, it adds another tiny grain of hope to my very small pile - so ta for that

[Tally]

I'm intrigued to know how an Iguana can look like your dad.

 

K x

 

Once my went on holiday with some friends of my parents and my dad got so many mosquito bites that the friends said he looked like an iguana. He doesn't look much like an iguana most of the time though!

[barefoot wend]

Tally

 

My son has just completed a first diploma in animal care at berkshire agriculture college and they had a lot of work experience to be done in blocks - most students did it at the college during free time so it may be worth asking the college you are looking at if that is a possibility - after all, the animals they have do need looking after so it makes sense to get the students to do most of it as work experience.

 

Good luck.

[Tally]

That's interesting about doing work experience within the college. I really do need wider experience than that, but doing part of it in the college could take some of the pressure off.

 

I've also just been invited to an induction with a local charity that takes in sick/injured wild animals and prepares them for re-release. I'm still not assured a voluntary position at this stage, but it definitely sounds hopeful! This will be excellent experience for me and provide experience with different animals than the pets and reptiles I will get to work with in the college. Also as they are wild animals you cannot handle them so the skills involved would be similar to working with zoo animals.