If you are considering a career working with animals, imagine learning your animal care skills alongside meerkats, otters, horses, reptiles and a wide range of farm animals.
At NKC Hadlow College, practical animal experience is part of everyday learning, and we have hundreds of animals and a wide range of species helping our students develop the knowledge and skills needed for careers in the animal sector.
World Animal Day, held every year on 4 October, is a chance to celebrate animals and raise awareness of their welfare. It is also a good opportunity to look at what it really means to work with animals and why practical experience matters.
Our Animal Management Unit is home to more than 500 animals across over 125 species, providing students with opportunities to develop practical skills across a remarkably diverse collection.
So, what could students encounter during their studies?
Meerkats, mongooses and otters
Animal Management students can gain experience with a fascinating range of exotic species, including meerkats, mongoose species and Asian short-clawed otters.
The Animal Management Unit includes specialist areas for different types of animals, including aquatics, herpetology and nocturnal species. Students can develop their understanding of animal husbandry, behaviour, welfare and management while working in an environment designed to reflect professional animal care and zoo settings.
Reptiles and amphibians
For students fascinated by reptiles and amphibians, there are also opportunities to gain experience in specialist environments.
The National Centre for Reptile Welfare, based at NKC Hadlow College, provides care for more than 1,000 unwanted and vulnerable reptiles and amphibians. Students can gain practical experience in animal husbandry, care and non-invasive behavioural research through the centre.
The centre cares for a wide range of species, from smaller reptiles such as geckos to larger animals including constrictors and iguanas.
Horses
For students interested in horses, NKC Hadlow College has a specialist Equine Centre with facilities for up to 64 horses.
Students studying Equine Management can develop practical skills including horse care, handling, grooming, feeding, stable management, tack and equipment, behaviour and welfare.
Our facilities include two indoor arenas, an outdoor arena, horse walker and cross-country course, providing a practical environment for developing equine skills.
Farm animals
Animal care at NKC Hadlow College isn't limited to exotic species.
Our commercial farms provide opportunities to work with sheep and cattle, giving our students practical experience across different areas of animal husbandry and agricultural management.
Our Animal Management Unit also includes domestic species such as pigs, goats, alpacas and poultry.
Fish and aquatic species
There are also opportunities to develop specialist aquatic skills at NKC Hadlow College’s Fisheries Hatchery.
The hatchery contains tropical and cold-water fish, more than 50 aquarium tanks and specialist recirculating aquaculture systems. Students learn about fish welfare, accommodation and husbandry using equipment and systems relevant to the industry.
More than just working with animals
Having access to such a diverse collection is exciting, but studying Animal Management is about much more than simply being around animals.
Students develop an understanding of animal welfare, health, behaviour, husbandry, biology, wildlife management, ecology and conservation, combining classroom learning with hands-on experience.
Practical experience can include day-to-day animal care, husbandry, designing and maintaining enclosures, planning animal collections and supporting the management of a commercial-style animal collection. Students can also gain work experience within external organisations.
That means students are learning not only how to care for animals, but how to observe them, understand their needs and make responsible decisions about their welfare.
Could a career working with animals be for you?
The variety of species at NKC Hadlow College means students can explore different areas of the animal sector while developing practical experience.
Whether your goal is to work in animal care, veterinary nursing, animal behaviour, welfare, conservation, a zoo or another part of the animal industry, practical experience can be an important part of building the knowledge and confidence needed for the next step.
This World Animal Day, why not take a closer look at Animal Management at NKC Hadlow College and discover where a passion for animals could lead?