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Zookeepers look after animals in zoos, safari parks and aquariums.
You could work: evenings / weekends / bank holidays; on shifts
As a zookeeper, you could:
You may need to wear a uniform and protective clothing.
You could work at a zoo, at a wildlife park or in an aquarium.
Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers and physically demanding.
You can get into this job through:
You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:
It may help later when looking for work, if you do a course that includes work placements or an internship. You can search for courses through the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
You'll usually need:
You could do a course before applying to a zoo for a trainee assistant zookeeper's job. Courses include:
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
You could apply to do an apprenticeship with an animal welfare centre, wildlife park or zoo. Options include:
You may be able to specialise in training zoo animals by completing an Animal Training Instructor Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.
You'll usually need:
You could start work as a keeper's assistant in a zoo or aquarium.
Once working, and with the backing of your employer, you could enrol on the 2-year Diploma in Management of Zoo and Aquarium Animals (DMZAA).
The Diploma may lead onto higher education training or opportunities to apply for more senior roles at your place of work.
There's a lot of competition for courses and trainee jobs, so getting work experience and volunteering at a zoo or aquarium is an excellent way to improve your career prospects.
If you're volunteering for at least 1 day a week, you may be able to do a Certificate in Management of Zoos and Aquarium Animals for Volunteers (CMZAAV). This is offered by the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums and gives you a foundation to build on for a career in zookeeping.
You can also get experience by volunteering at:
You'll need to:
Any experience of working with the public will be good preparation for educating zoo and wildlife centre visitors.
Many animal charities offer opportunities to promote animal welfare directly to the public, or online, through social media campaigns.
You can find out more about working in zoos from the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
In larger zoos, wildlife parks or aquariums, you could progress from keeper to team leader or head keeper.
You might need to relocate to another part of the country to advance to senior positions, as competition for jobs can be strong.
With experience and a degree, you could become a collections curator. You could also move into conservation education, breeding programmes or research.
You can find out more about working in zoos from the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums.