Animal Care Voluntary Student Work Experience
Shaldon Wildlife Trust
Shaldon Wildlife
Trust is able to offer a number of work experience placements which will give
you a unique understanding of working for a conservation organisation.
There is the chance
to develop your skills across a variety of departments at Shaldon, including
the animal keeping, education, conservation and administration departments.
There is also the
opportunity to complete research projects and dissertations during your
placement. If you are required to
complete a research project during your placement please indicate this at the
time of your application.
A placement at
Shaldon will provide valuable experience to add to your CV showing future
employers that you are committed to a career in the conservation sector.
Shaldon Wildlife
Trust is a small zoo on the Devon coast. Set in an acre of woodland, we are the
smallest member of BIAZA and EAZA. Despite this we are active members of the
zoo community and support conservation projects all over the word. Over the
years we have gained a great deal of expertise in the breeding of many species,
particularly small primates, and are regarded highly in this field.
We are currently
advertising for student work experience placements of 9-12 months (with a 1
month probationary period). Shaldon Wildlife Trust is open every day and the
placements will be full time i.e. 5 days a week including weekend duties. The
main role of the students will be to assist with the husbandry requirements of
the animal collection as directed by the Head Keeper in charge.
The programme is
aimed at students undertaking a further or higher education course requiring a
sandwich year in industry placement within their degree, or recent graduates
who are seeking a career in the animal care/conservation sector or similar.
All placements are
purely voluntary and as such it is with regret that Shaldon Wildlife Trust
cannot provide any financial support or expenses to those wishing to apply for
these opportunities and there will be no promise of future work within the
collection at the end of the placement. To ensure that students are provided
with a valuable experience, a training agreement will be completed and reviewed
regularly, and a training record will be provided upon completion of the
placement.
As this position is
voluntary and therefore unpaid we recognise that this takes a level of
commitment from individuals, therefore we aim to provide each student with a
structured learning programme to help them in their future careers. Most of our
previous students have gone on to achieve their goals of becoming zoo
professionals thanks to the valuable practical experience gained through their
placements.
Objectives of the placement
- To gain experience and understanding
of the work of a zoo animal keeping department.
- To gain skills within the education
and outreach department including delivering encounters and class room
educational sessions.
- To deliver educational talks at the
zoo to visitors and groups.
- To apply own personal skills and take
ownership of a series of tasks and/or a research project.
- To reflect on training and experience
throughout the placement.
Anticipated
tasks/training provided
- Assisting with daily animal husbandry
e.g. feeding, cleaning, enrichment provision, enclosure modification etc.
- Observations of animals and recording
of relevant information.
- Training in basic research methods.
- Visitor interaction e.g. answering
visitor questions in a polite and sensitive manner.
- Assisting with student/volunteer
supervision at the direction of the head keeper.
- Training in animal-management related
computer software.
- Training in all aspects of the
company’s code of practice.
- Comprehensive portfolio building
Skills Required
- Enrolment on an animal science
related course.
- Previous animal-related work
experience.
- Good communication skills.
- Adaptable to different working
environments.
- Able to work in a team and
independently.
- Physically fit for the demands of the
post.
If you wish to apply
for a Voluntary student work experience placement position, please send your CV
along with a covering letter no longer than 1 side of A4 to :
Carly Murray
Head Keeper, Shaldon
Wildlife Trust, Ness Drive, Devon, TQ14 0HP
Your covering letter
must detail why you are applying for the position, and why you feel that you
are a suitable candidate, detailing any suitable knowledge, skills or previous
experience that is relevant to this particular role. Please also mention were
you saw the advert.
If your application
is successful, you will be invited in for an interview at the Trust.
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