Level 2 Animal Care and Welfare Assistant Apprenticeship
This apprenticeship is based on developing skills to effectively manage the day-to-day care of domestic and/or wild animals. The training may be individually focused, or you may work as part of a team.
What is this Standard?
Animal Care and Welfare Assistants need to be active, hardworking, and comfortable working outdoors in all weather conditions. This role requires a strong commitment to animal welfare, safe working practices, and excellent customer service skills.
This apprenticeship provides hands-on training and a recognised animal care qualification while you work. It develops core skills that open doors to a wide range of animal-based careers, making it a popular choice for those looking to build a career working with animals.
Functional Skills are required. Apprentices without Level 1 Maths and English must work towards and achieve Level 2 before completing the end-point assessment.
Career opportunities include:
- Kennel or Cattery Assistant
- Animal Technician
- Animal Welfare Assistant
- Veterinary Care Assistant
- Zoo Keeper Assistant
- Pet Retail Assistant
- Wildlife Rehabilitation Assistant
- Animal Handler
- Farm Park Assistant
I am enjoying my Level 2 Animal Care and Welfare Apprenticeship with Sheldrake Training. The support is fantastic, the course is accessible and informative. I find all sessions to be interactive and well-structured. I particularly enjoy the emergency care technical skills I am learning at the veterinary centre. I have helped many injured animals successfully recover from serious injuries.
What Will I Learn?
This apprenticeship develops essential knowledge of animal care, welfare, and safe working practices. Topics include animal-related legislation, workplace policies, and species-specific characteristics.
Learners will understand how to recognise signs of poor health and welfare, provide basic first aid, administer medication safely, and maintain suitable environments. Training also covers feeding, nutrition, hygiene, biosecurity, and infection control.
Key practical skills include safe handling, restraint, and movement of animals, as well as understanding behaviour, stress, and basic training techniques. Apprentices will also learn about enrichment, exercise needs, grooming, and the human-animal bond.
Additional areas include basic anatomy, reproduction, record keeping, and how animals’ needs change throughout their life stages.
Specialist pathways include:
- Animal Handling & Interaction
- Rehoming
- Movement & Transportation
- Reception & Operational Duties
- Breeding
- Working Dog Handling
- Wildlife Rehabilitation
- Veterinary Care Support
Each pathway provides targeted skills to prepare apprentices for specific animal care careers, allowing them to specialise based on their interests.
How Long Is The Course?
Course duration:
Minimum of one year.
Study and assessment takes place at the animal centre you are working for.
Animal Care and Welfare Assessment
Whilst on programme, you will gain competence, build a portfolio of evidence and complete functional skills if needed. Over the course of this Level 2 Apprenticeship, you will complete several modules which cover the basic skills and knowledge you will need to make your career in the animal husbandry industry, such as handling various animals, animal first aid, feeding, watering and basic nutrition of the animals in your care plus many other animal behavioural and physical care topics.
In the Portfolio, the apprentice will collect a range of evidence demonstrating them working with animals, for example written work, small projects, progress review information, earlier workplace observations, videos, photographs and employer/client comments. This evidence will demonstrate how the apprentice meets the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours of this apprenticeship standard. The portfolio is also used by the apprentice as a vehicle to bring to life their Knowledge, Skills and Behaviour as required during questioning by the Independent Assessor.
The assessment for this apprenticeship consists of two distinct assessment methods:
A Practical Assessment (weighting 50%); this is an observation of the apprentice, completing a practical assessment consisting of two tasks of practical skills. The apprentice will be assessed to confirm that they can apply the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours of this apprenticeship standard to safely perform operational activities in a realistic work situation.
Professional Discussion (weighting 50%); this will take the form of a professional discussion and Portfolio review that will cover all areas of underpinning and applied Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours
The Professional Discussion will provide the opportunity for the apprentice to demonstrate core and specific Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours of the apprenticeship standard. This will enable the assessment to cover a broad range of Knowledge and understanding, Skills and Behaviours. The Portfolio of Evidence will be used to inform questioning during the Professional Discussion.
More information on the standard can be found at the Skills England Website.
I’ve always loved animals, but I never imagined I could turn that passion into a career until I started my apprenticeship. The hands-on experience I gained was amazing – from feeding and grooming to understanding animal behaviour and health.
The support from my trainer was fantastic, and the coursework helped me build real knowledge and confidence. I’ve learned so much about the responsibility and reward that comes with working in animal care.
Now, I’m proud to be doing a job I love every day, and I feel ready to take the next step in my career. I’d absolutely recommend this apprenticeship to anyone who wants to work with animals and make a difference.
What Is The Salary Of A Animal Care and Welfare Assistant In United Kingdom 2026?
Average base pay = £23,000/yr
The estimated salary for an experienced Animal and Welfare Assistant can far exceed the average base pay. These salaries are indicative only and will vary from location and employer.
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