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Dearne Valley College Courses Animal Care and Land-based Industries
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Animal Care and Land-based Industries

Nurture nature in a state-of-the-art learning environment

Offered at

Dearne Valley College

With us you can grow your skills and put your budding brain to use in our well-managed learning environments. Combine creativity with nature and science in our new outdoor facilities by helping create a conservation area to protect the rare, wild orchids growing in our 12-acre forest. Grow a wide range of organic produce for sale at our Organic Market. Gain key environment management skills by working in our brand new polytunnels. Students who have completed their qualifications with us are employed across a variety of professions and many have progressed on to Higher Education.

In our fantastic facilities, including specialist animal housing and herpetology rooms, you’ll have hands-on access to a variety of domesticated and exotic animals from a range of habitats. You’ll gain a breadth of knowledge of different animal breeds, their biology, behaviour, health and welfare, and develop skills around their handling and care. Our courses, from entry level right up to degree level, will open the door to professional opportunities in the vast and varied animal health, welfare, handling and husbandry job sectors.

In our 12-acre forest, woodlands and specialist facilities you can cultivate your very own outdoor learning environment and forestry school. You’ll care for and maintain trees, work with local employers to learn the art of tree felling and gain experience of the science and practice of producing and managing trees and shrubs. By studying with us, you can branch out into the world of work with the skills for success.

Your Pathways

  • Entry Level

    Land-based and Animal Care

  • Level 1

    Land-based Studies, Animal Care, Horticulture and the Countryside

    Animal Care and Land-based

  • Level 1/2

    Stepping Stones to Level 2 Animal Care

  • Level 2

    Horticulture

    Animal Care

  • Level 3

    Animal Management

    Countryside Management

    Animal Management with English and Maths

  • Level 4/5

    HNC/HND in Animal Management

    HNC/HND in Animal Management (Wildlife and Countryside Conservation)

Get started on
your journey

Select your course to begin your application

Study Animal Care and Land-based Industries

“One of the best things about college is that you get to meet like-minded people - everyone studying on your course is interested in the same sort of stuff and often have similar motivations.”

Photo of Emily Put
Emily Puk Level 3 Countryside Management Former student at Wingfield Academy

FUTURE CAREERS IN ANIMAL AND LAND-BASED

The land-based sector is ideal for those who enjoy working outside in physically demanding settings or have a passion for caring for animals.

student in a woodland environment planting young trees

Veterinary Nurse

Average salary - £24,000*

Veterinary Nurses support vets to treat and take care of sick and injured animals.

Day-to-day tasks:

Keeping the vet practice and equipment clean and hygienic, preparing animals for treatments and assisting the vets during treatments, administering medication, talking to pet owners about treatment and how to take care of their animals and undertaking reception and admin duties.**

Working environments:

Veterinary practices or animal welfare centres.

*EMSI 2021 **nationalcareers.service.gov.uk

Landscape Gardener

Average salary - £21,500*

Landscape Gardeners cultivate flowers, trees, shrubs and other plants - improving the appearance of terrain and cut-and-lay turf.

Day-to-day tasks:

Discuss clients’ needs and advise them how to maintain their space, work from plans made by designers, order supplies, turf and seed lawns, plant and prune trees and shrubs and install paving.**

Working environments:

Gardens, at a client’s business, at a client’s home or at a garden centre.

*EMSI 2021 **nationalcareers.service.gov.uk

In-demand skills that commonly appear in job descriptions for roles within the animal care and land-based sector include*:

  • Communication
  • Enthusiasm
  • Customer Service
  • Management
  • Detail Orientated

NURTURE NATURE IN A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

BY 2025 THERE ARE EXPECTED TO BE 4,288 JOBS IN LAND-BASED INDUSTRIES IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE.

LIGHTCAST 2022

What our students say

“One of the best things about college is that you get to meet like-minded people - everyone studying on your course is interested in the same sort of stuff and often have similar motivations.”

Photo of Emily Put
Emily Puk Level 3 Countryside Management Former student at Wingfield Academy
Futures for everyone Find out more