Certificate III in Animal Care Services (Animal Care) traineeship
ACM30122
Nationally accredited
qualification
18 months
Traineeship
Government subsidised
places
Graduate with a nationally recognised qualification and the skills to become a leader in the animal care industry with the Certificate III in Animal Care Services (Animal Care) ACM30122.
This traineeship combines the best of animal sciences and applied animal care skills.
You’ll cover a range of core skills in:
- anatomy and physiology
- husbandry
- health and infection control
- nutrition
- animal handling.
How you’ll learn
Join the growing animal care industry by completing your studies through the Queensland Government’s traineeship program.
Traineeships combine training with working a real job, with a real boss, for a real wage. As a trainee, you’ll work towards the completion of this qualification while learning valuable skills at work and under the guidance of our UQ Skills team.
UQ Skills offers a blended model, combining online learning with workplace-integrated learning within industry.
On average, a traineeship takes place over 18 months. Your first step will be to find an employer who’s willing to hire you as a trainee.
There is also a non-traineeship version of this program.
Optional training workshops
You can attend optional workshop training blocks at Gatton campus if you want to supplement any gaps in your workplace experience for training and assessment purposes, or if you just want some extra practical experience.
The workshops will immerse you in practical training for a wide variety of animals, equipping you with industry-leading skills.
Assessment
You will be assessed through written assessments, skills portfolios, online quizzes and practical demonstrations.
Start dates
You can start this program anytime.
You must be employed as a trainee within a veterinary clinic or animal hospital.
All UQ Skills programs require access to a computer with a Windows operating system, up-to-date versions of Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat Reader, and a reliable internet connection.
Vaccination requirements
As you'll be exposed to animals and agricultural environments as part of your learning, immunisations against tetanus are mandatory. You'll need to provide evidence of immunisation before you commence your program.
You may also require vaccination against Q fever, lyssavirus, rabies or influenza (flu), depending on the work and environment within which you interact with animals.
If you fail to complete mandatory requirements, this may affect your ability to fulfil the inherent requirements of your program.
Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) testing
You’re required to complete a language, literacy and numeracy test as part of the enrolment process. This helps us identify and plan for any learning or support needs you may have before you start your training.
Recognition of Prior Learning
If you have recent work experience you may be eligible to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning.
Create your USI
You must provide a Unique Student Identifier (USI) before we can accept your enrolment.
Resources
2025 UQ Skills Student Handbook (PDF, 2.5 MB) (includes student support and guidance on fees, withdrawal and other policy information).
You'll need to contribute to the cost of your training through a co-contribution fee.
- School-based trainees: free
- Concessional fee: $524.80
- Non-concessional fee: $1,312
- Full fee without funding: $7,680
The fee you pay will depend on your eligibility to receive funding under the traineeship User Choice funding model offered by the Queensland Government’s Department of Employment, Small Business and Training.
Visit our Funding page to find out if you are eligible for the subsidy.
Payment plans
You can pay for this program over 6 months, as part of a monthly payment plan. We’ll send you your first invoice after your start date. Payment plans incur a 10 per cent processing fee.
To achieve this qualification, you must complete 17 units of competency over 18 months.
| Study period 1: Animal behavioural science and welfare | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify behaviours and interact safely with animals | ACMBEH301 | ||
| Access the welfare status of an animal | ACMGEN303 | ||
| Contribute to workplace health and safety processes | ACMWHS301 | ||
| Study period 2: Professional practice A | |||
| Communicate effectively with clients and team members | ACMGEN315 | ||
| Promote positive wellbeing in self and others in animal care workplaces | ACMGEN304 | ||
| Study period 3: Animal anatomy and physiology | |||
| Identify animal anatomy and physiology for animal care work | ACMGEN314 | ||
| Study period 4: Animal care and nursing - cats and dogs | |||
| Provide general care of domestic dogs | ACMSPE316 | ||
| Provide general care of domestic cats | ACMSPE317 | ||
| Provide enrichment for animals | ACMBEH302 | ||
| Provide nutritional requirements for animals | ACMGEN312 | ||
| Study period 5: Animal care and nursing - mammals | |||
| Provide general care of mammals | ACMSPE320 | ||
| Provide enrichment for animals (continued) | ACMBEH302 | ||
| Provide nutritional requirements for animals (continued) | ACMGEN312 | ||
| Study period 6: Animal care and nursing - birds or non-venomous reptiles | |||
| Provide enrichment for animals (continued) | ACMBEH302 | ||
| Provide nutritional requirements for animals (continued) | ACMGEN312 | ||
| Electives (choose one) | |||
| Provide general care of birds | ACMSPE314 | ||
| Provide general care of non-venomous reptiles | ACMSPE321 | ||
| Study period 7: Animal health and wellbeing | |||
| Comply with infection control policies and procedures in animal care work | ACMINF301 | ||
| Maintain and monitor animal health and wellbeing | ACMGEN311 | ||
| Provide basic animal first aid | ACMGEN309 | ||
| Study period 8: Professional practice B | |||
| Provide reception services for an animal care facility | ACMGEN310 | ||
| Source and provide information for animal care needs | ACMGEN205 | ||
Credit transfers
Our study periods are made up of units of competency so you can apply what you’ve learned in a real-world context.
If we approve your credit transfer for one unit within a study period, we will waive your fee for that unit. In your assessment for the study period, you’ll have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills you’ve previously acquired.
If we approve credit transfers for all your units within a study period, you won’t need to complete the study period.
We do this so you can transfer your credits and successfully learn and be assessed in this program.
Careers
You may find employment as:
- animal attendant (veterinary clinic)
- animal care attendant (animal shelter)
- assistant animal welfare officer
- assistant dog groomer
- kennel hand or cattery attendant
- pet shop attendant.
Pathway
Use this program as a pathway towards a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing ACM40418, opening up your access to a range of clinical, surgical and specialist nursing roles.
If you choose to further your studies by completing a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing, you will receive substantial credit for your Certificate III in Animal Care Services. This means you will be able to graduate faster, enter the industry sooner and earn higher wages
Disclaimer
Details are correct at the time of upload and are subject to change. UQ Skills reserves the right to change programs, subjects or costs or to cancel a program based on consideration of student numbers and resource allocation. Ensure that you understand the program, subjects, associated costs and fee liability prior to signing an enrolment form.
