Success Stories
Animal Courses Direct Training Courses
We are happy to share with you the success stories from our students!
Working with animals is something that people dream of doing and it’s something that we help many people achieve.
If you want to work with animals, we will do everything we can to help you to achieve this.
We want our students to succeed and we pride ourselves on offering a comprehensive service that includes personalised careers and training advice, theory and practical training options and support applying for jobs with animals.
Student Success Stories
We are very proud of all our students and their success. We are delighted to share some of their inspiring success stories with you. As you can see, dreams do come true!
Enjoy what you do and you’ll never work a day in your life!
Paul (completed Level 3 Award in Feline Care, Behaviour and Welfare).
“After thinking about it for a long time, some friends and I decided that we would like to open a cat adoption cafe. I lived and studied in Oxford for four years and I really missed my family cats and I wasn’t allowed a pet in my accommodation. We are hoping to open Kitty College Oxford (kittycollegeoxford.com) this year, which will be Oxford’s first cat adoption cafe and will allow students, tourists and locals to interact with (and even adopt) some homeless cats. Of course, to run a cat adoption cafe you need to know how to look after the welfare of the cats and to keep them happy and healthy. I decided to take the Level 3 Award in Feline Care, Behaviour and Welfare; it was a great learning experience and left me feeling confident that I would be able to do a good job looking after rescue cats. We intend to have all Kitty College Oxford employees obtain the Level 3 Award in Feline Care, Behaviour and Welfare as I have done to make sure that our cats have the highest level of care.”
Level 3 Award in Primate Studies
“I have always been interested in primates and decided that now was the time for a career change. I therefore, needed to get qualified in order to follow my dream. The Primate Conservation course provided by Animal Courses Direct ticked all of the boxes for me. I found the course extremely interesting and stimulating. The course notes were detailed enough to encourage further self-study and the feedback was of great benefit to me. I found my course tutor to be extremely helpful and supportive throughout the course and all in all I found it a real pleasure to undertake this subject. I have recently been offered a place on the MSc Primate Conservation course at Oxford Brookes and I know that it’s Animal Courses Direct that have helped me get the opportunity to further my aspirations and could not speak highly enough of the organisation”.
Veterinary Nursing Assistant Diploma Level 2
“When I started this course I was working in retail and distance learning was the perfect solution for matching learning and working commitments. The course is really intense, but my amazing tutor Lucy is always here to help, and the efforts are definitely paying back: 4 months after I started this course, I secured a position as vet receptionist in a very big and super modern practice. My new role, which I am on the moon about, is giving me the possibility to do more training, and to gain experience while I am still learning my course. Recently my employer also confirmed they can accommodate my placement at our big hospital! Even though I still have in front of me a considerable amount of work to do, and many things to learn, I feel I am getting closer to my dream day after day, and I am definitely happy I took the decision to submit this course!”
Level 3 Diploma in Zoology
“I had the pleasure of studying and completing the Zoology Diploma course with Animal Courses Direct recently. Last year, I had to unfortunately give up my job due to ill health which really affected me. I felt mentally I was struggling; I still wanted to do things that my body could not, that is when I came across Animal Courses Direct. The Zoology Diploma course has inspired me so much, and has ignited a passion for this subject and also conservation which I hope to progress into. The course was so informative, resourceful and extremely interesting, with very helpful and friendly tutors who are very efficient and professional. This course has not only helped me gain invaluable knowledge but has helped me with my mental health and given me something to strive to achieve again so thank you very much Animal Courses Direct.’
Level 3 Diploma in Dog Grooming and Salon Management
“I enjoyed all aspects of the Dog Grooming Diploma course, my favourite being First aid and Anatomy and Health.
I have set up a grooming shed in my garden and am planning to work from here. I am so looking forward to building an established business. The 2 week training in the grooming parlour will be so beneficial and I am very looking forward to learning from the professional groomers.
Success story – I am 55 years old and never thought I would learn a new skill at my age, however I have proved that it’s never too late to learn something new. With my love for animals I couldn’t think of a better career to be in.
I have been doing the same job role ( Sheltered Housing – supported living for the elderly) for 24 years and felt that although my job is fulfilling – I needed a change.
I was widowed 5 years ago and left to bring up my 4 children alone. This change in career is going to be uplifting for me and allow me to move on in a different chapter of life.
Thank you to all at Animal Courses Direct, especially to my tutor, Judy who has gone the extra mile and supported me all the way when I found studying to be a bit alien and daunting at first.”
Georgie B (completed the Level 3 Diploma in Animal Care & Welfare Management)
“Fantastic year of studying: I really enjoyed doing the animal management course and I have been fortunate enough to work with animals for the last 2 years. This course was definitely my step in the door to zoo keeping and it was one of the best jobs I’ve ever had”.
Johanna W
Since starting up my dog walking and pet sitting business back in 2018 Johanna and Paws and also doing volunteer work for a dog rehoming centre I decided I wanted to learn more about canine behaviours and to become a professional canine behaviourist alongside my dog walking business to help owners and dogs in need. The course was really in-depth and very enjoyable, the tutors were great too. I am now already on my way through level 5 and look forward to learning more to set me up for my career.
Veterinary Practice Receptionist Diploma
“The course helped me greatly in becoming employed as a receptionist at a vets. I recently moved and thought I would struggle finding a receptionist job as I always have done in the past. However when a job opportunity arose I sent my cv across and my now current employers said they were very impressed I had done this course as in general there is little or poor training/qualifications for receptionist. If it wasn’t for this course my course wouldn’t have stood out for them and been offered an interview. I’m pleased to also add that it’s the best practice and job I’ve ever had and I’m very happy there”.
Rio B (completed the Level 3 Diploma in Canine Care, Behaviour & Welfare)
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Animal Courses Direct. I found the course very informative and helpful to better myself in the canine world. I am now studying the Level 4 Diploma in Canine Behaviour and am a volunteer at the National Animal Welfare Trust, helping with the Open Paw Programme and Canine Enrichment. Without Animal Courses Direct none of this would be possible”.
Level 3 Diploma in Zookeeping Student Feedback: 1 week practical at Blackpool Zoo
What will you remember about your time at the zoo? “Absolutely everything! Having the chance to experience real life working in the zoo environment whilst also having the opportunity to see behind the scenes and understanding how the whole zoo operates. Now that I am more knowledgeable and have more experience with different animals, it has made me even more passionate about protecting animals. I am now more knowledgeable and have a greater enthusiasm for pursuing a career in a zoo working with animals. I enjoyed seeing the ‘behind the scenes’ of the zoo, the extent to which the animals are cared for and the dedication the keepers show every day. And how they help with other charities and organizations around the world. I now know for sure that this is the career I want and I am more than willing to go out of my way to pursue it. I admit I had my doubts but it has reinforced my past love for animals.”
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You study at your own pace and there are no time pressures, so you can comfortably fit your studies around your other commitments. Once you have completed your course, we issue you with a Certificate and we encourage our students to register with our Job Board so that you will be notified of relevant vacancies as and when they arise.
We have many students who have gone through this process with us and have gained employment working with animals. Some have gone on to set up their own animal related businesses and others have gained meaningful employment with animal charities and companies doing a variety of animal related jobs.
Our courses are designed to help people achieve success by gaining employment working with animals and to set up their own animal care businesses. We are specialists in this field and offer a comprehensive service to help people achieve success in their dream goal of working with animals.
Katie Draper
“I really liked that I got to do independent research on this course, and learning about the evolution process as I had not really done any prior learning on that subject and I found it really interesting. Knowing I had someone I was able to ask if I needed to was so reassuring, thank you Lisa. Being able to learn in my own time was brilliant as well as I could work on the coursework when I wasn’t as busy at work. My family and I opened our own boarding kennels and cattery in 2016 Badgerswood Boarding Kennels and Cattery from developing a piece of waste land in our garden and we’ve just been listed as one of the top 5 kennels in Lancashire which we are thrilled about”
. Katie Draper
Level 3 Diploma in Zookeeping
“I cannot recommend this team and course enough. They have all been so welcoming to myself and my team this week from Animal Courses Direct. I feel like we have all learned so much during our zoo keeper training and the practical experience has been absolutely amazing. We have experienced everything so hands on and I feel really lucky to have been able to come to such a special zoo for this. Special shout out to Harry who has put up with us all week and taught us so much, he is excellent at what he does. I know things that we have discussed will stick with me and make the rest of the course so much easier. Thank you.”
Level 4 Diploma in Canine Welfare, Training and Behaviour.
“I adopted a rescue dog from Blue Cross and I spent much of my day training her. For 20 years previous to this, I worked in Engineering but as I was spending so much time with her, I decided to set up my own dog walking business instead. I decided to look for a dog behaviour course I could complete online that had an emphasis on dog welfare and taught force-free methods of training. This is how I found the courses at Animal Courses Direct. With the encouragement and feedback from my brilliant tutor, I completed the course with an excellent pass. I never thought I’d have the confidence or ability to offer my services as a dog trainer, which involves meeting owners with dogs that need training, and coming up with a bespoke structured training plan that would get results. The way the course is structured and the practical training has done exactly that”.
Alison set up her own business!
Tail Blazer Dog Walking, Training and Behaviour, offers one to one Puppy and Dog Training courses which is going very well – she’s already had lots of lovely feedback from dog owners!
Level 3 Diploma Animal Welfare Officer
“Although I have been an Animal Licensing Officer for a few years now, I was able to learn a few things that I was not previously aware of, and feel it has enhanced how I operate. I really enjoyed the course, as it was well written and easy to follow. The Tutor was always very quick to respond to any email, or when marking the modules I submitted for assessments.” Melanie Poulter
Level 3 Diploma in Dog Grooming and Salon Management
“I left a long career in the IT world to pursue my dream of working with animals. The course has been very interesting covering aspects from dogs health, behaviour, business and of course dog grooming.The 2 week practical course was incredible and Kelly and her team were great in teaching me new techniques and helping to encourage and develop my grooming skills. I would recommend the course to anyone wanting to embark on dog grooming as a career, as the support and help that you get is exemplary and unlike other online courses, you get great constructive feedback”. Sue now works for Crown Clippers Dog and Cat Grooming
Angela Walker (completed the Level 3 Award in Canine Care, Behaviour and Welfare)
“I’ve enjoyed the course it’s all been very helpful and I like the way both units were made quite different to keep you motivated. For example, from photos to prompted answers, short and long questions, doing your own research. I would like to continue my studies with yourselves. My previous work was in care of people with mental health and learning and challenging behaviours. I left this type of work to gain career with dogs. In the future with my care work and canine work, plus qualifications I would like to incorporate the 2 and do some kind of therapy.”
Jen Leslie (completed the Level 3 and Level 6 Canine Diplomas)
“From walking dogs as a hobby for a rescue centre to a fully qualified behaviourist with my own successful business – all thanks to Animal Courses Direct! The time has absolutely flown by due to the fascinating and overarching content of the courses, I honestly would forget it is even studying! My confidence in my abilities has grown massively and that is not only due to the thorough course content but the ever supportive tutor who fervently believed in me. The independent study of the courses was perfect for me. Studying to become a behaviourist isn’t about being told what to do and when – it’s about learning all the facts, researching all the opinions, and then making up your own mind and developing skills from there. This prepares you for the reality of taking on behaviour cases – from listening to the dogs family, to observing the dog yourself, to pulling together all the knowledge of dog behaviour you know that is relevant for the dog before you. It’s putting together a puzzle and that takes far more skills than just memorising a text book. A special thank you to my tutor for her dedication in educating the upcoming generation of canine behaviourists to such a high level. I was in safe hands with my education and it’s transformed my work life into something I wake up every day looking forward to doing. Enjoy what you do and you’ll never work a day in your life!”
Jen set up her own business!
Calvert Canines offers training and behaviour packages for you and your dog(s) based on connection, relationship and respect.
Level 2 Award in Canine Care and Welfare
“Cons: Not really any, to be honest! At first, when I enrolled I was feel a little anxious about doing distance learning. But once I started I really enjoyed this, especially being able to do it at my own pace.
Pros: The course content was excellent. The provision of the ‘PDF’ documents made good reading and also helped me find other sources of information…..this was very good.The course is structured in a manner that helps you think about and understand the issues surrounding the welfare of dogs. Working at my own pace helped me with my personal life… I work at a local kennels but I also help care for my Grandma and Grandad (Alzheimer’s and dementia). A big bonus of doing this course is that it now helps me to converse with both my fellow workers and clients in a more professional manner. I do intend to do the Level 3”.
Rebecca Taylor (completed 5 Animal Courses Direct Canine Diplomas!)
“So glad I found Animal Courses Direct! I’ve completed 5 courses so far, (4 theory and 1 practical) and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. What started as an ‘extra curricular’ activity after work to learn more about my own dog, sparked a passion for working with, and helping, other dogs and their owners.The courses are interesting, enjoyable, and allow self study at your own pace. An assigned tutor is always on hand to provide support, and my own tutor, Lisa, is brilliant. I only wish that other tutors throughout my education had been half as motivating, supportive, and fun; because this is what enables students to succeed! These courses, and Lisa’s brilliant tutelage, gave me the confidence to ditch my corporate telecoms career and start my own business as a canine behaviourist and trainer. I only wish it hadn’t taken me almost 20 years to realise what it was I wanted to do. Finding and studying with Animal Courses Direct gave me this inspiration. It’s never too late. If you’re thinking of starting, or changing, a career to work with animals, I can highly recommend the courses at Animal Courses Direct. I’m thoroughly enjoying my new career, and the brilliant people at Animal Courses Direct enabled me to achieve this. Thank you!”
Rebecca set up her own canine behaviour business!
Lead By Example offers behaviour consultations and training for owners, workshops for other pet professionals, and behaviour assessments and workshops for rescue organisations.
Ashleigh Peters (completed the Level 3 Diploma in Wildlife First Aid and Rehabilitation)
“The Wildlife First Aid & Rehabilitation Diploma enhanced my knowledge of the practical and ethical elements of animal welfare. Having already worked in the field many years ago, I wanted to study a course that would keep me up-to-date on the latest techniques and improve the look of my CV when trying to return to the field of wildlife rescue and rehab. Having no deadlines is great as I was able to fit studying around my home and work life, and didn’t feel like the course was a burden. My tutor Louise was always on hand to give feedback and a nice chat about life! Since starting the course, I was able to gain employment as an Animal Rescue Officer with a small charity and put some of the skills and knowledge I had learnt into practice. I was able to apply many aspects of the course into my work, including suggesting the use of different equipment that the charity had not previously thought of. Recently, I have just gained full-time employment with the RSPCA at one of the dedicated wildlife centres. During my interview, I was asked about the course content and I believe that having this course on my application really made me stand out against other applicants.Thank you Louise and Animal Courses Direct for a fantastic qualification and helping me to my perfect job!”
Caroline completed the Level 3 Diploma in Companion Animal Rehoming
“I wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone interested in a role as Rehomer for an animal shelter. Studying the course gave me an advantage at my interview, helping me to secure a re-homing job with a major shelter in the UK. It has provided me with knowledge of best practice in the industry and this has benefited me in my performance review as it shows a motivation for continuous professional improvement. I thoroughly enjoyed the course, learned a great deal and was strongly supported by my tutor Louise whenever I needed her. She gave exceptionally useful feedback, with relevant examples, and she was always generous with her time and knowledge. She also has helped me to weigh up future study options as I am keen to continue to study with Animal Courses Direct”.
Wild Animal Behaviour Diploma Level 3 Award in Primate Studies
“Animal Courses Direct gave me the information I required in a clear precise way, gave me the support I required and gave me the belief in myself to move forward with my new career. So many companies hide behind computers and documents which leaves you with more questions than answers”: Craig fulfilled his lifelong ambition to work with Primates!
Veterinary Nursing Assistant Diploma Level 2
“I recently completed my course via Animal Courses Direct and I can happily say it was fantastic!! This course has helped me so much whereby I now currently work at a Veterinary Practice as an Auxiliary Nurse and my employer is forwarding me onto the Veterinary Nursing Course! The information you learn in this course is so beneficial for those seeking a career in veterinary nursing. Thank you so much Animal Courses Direct for an interesting and insightful course – I cannot thank you enough! This course has literally changed my life and I am living my dream!’
Level 3 Diploma in Dog Grooming and Salon Management
“When I decided to become a dog groomer I needed a theory and practical course that would provide me with the basic knowledge and a support team that would enable me to become a dog groomer. I searched the web and found Animals Courses Direct and it ticked all the boxes for me. Affordable, all modules sent to me and marked one at a time and then of course the practical which helped tie it all together, all this and I was able to continue working. The Animal Courses Direct course and team gave me the confidence to set up my own grooming business “Bubbles Pet Parlour”. I now work full time in my own business! Animals Courses Direct has allowed me to open doors into the dog and cat grooming world which for me has become valuable and I would recommend this course 100%. My business is successful and I am now studying to teach grooming as well. Here’s to the future!”
Level 2 Award in Canine Care and Welfare
“My fiance and I were both brought up in the countryside and both, more importantly, with dogs. Like many, we left the delights of our country homes and fellow pooches behind to pursue careers in the big smoke and have both lived in London for the past ten years. When we met, it didn’t take long to realise our shared love for dogs along with our shared disillusion with London life and the crazy-fast-paced world of events we both worked in. Our small London flat and mad working lives meant there was never a chance of us owning a dog of our own but we quite often cared for friend’s and neighbour’s dogs to satisfy this gap in our lives. We hit our early 30’s and decided it was time for a change, a big change. Skip ahead a year or so and we bought our first home together on the coast in Kent, all with the plan to start a business based on our shared love for dogs. We moved, I left my job and it was time to start working out the details around becoming a doggy day care and home boarding provider. One of said details was the requirement to have an Ofqual regulated qualification in Canine Care and Behaviour. I came across Animal Courses Direct through online research and signed up for their course. A few weeks later, I had passed and had my certificate ready to apply for an operating license.
Kate set up her own business! I am delighted to say that I have now launched Milo & Co. and am successfully securing bookings for the summer already. I was delighted with the course, my key learnings and the support I received from the team throughout. I could not recommend it highly enough. I am equally delighted that, after a fairly short time, it has enabled me to be officially up and running and for us both to be finally settling into our dream life”.
Level 3 Award in Reptile Studies - Michael Downley
“I thoroughly enjoyed this course. It was a perfect balance of independent research and study and feedback and advice for further reading from the very helpful tutor. The course has given me the knowledge and confidence to engage with reptile rescue projects and I have managed to secure a volunteer position working with many different species of snakes and doing outreach work encouraging people to take better care of their pet reptiles. I have managed also to successfully rescue and nurse other reptiles thanks to the practical care advice given in this course. The course was a perfect introduction and inspiration for further study at a more advanced level. It inspired me to continue my animal learning journey and I am now soon to complete the Veterinary Nursing Assistant Level 2 Diploma. This course and the voluntary work that it allowed me to obtain have been life-changing and inspired me to follow my dreams of working more with animals.”
GET YOUR NUS EXTRA/ TOTUM CARD
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