For our Certificate II in Animal Care, you have flexibility in how you structure your work placement. You should plan to complete around 100 hours of practical training – approximately one day a week for 3-4 months, or 12-15 full work days. This may vary depending on your prior experience working with animals, and the skills and knowledge you already have.
Your placement can be completed:
- Weekly: for example, one day each week
- In blocks: such as several consecutive days or during school holidays
- As a combination: using both block and weekly placement
Your course is organised into two study blocks, so it’s a good idea to review your Assessment Schedule and practical requirements before committing all of your placement hours. Some practical activities may only be completed once you have covered the relevant theory or when a suitable opportunity arises in your workplace.
Meet Cassie: planning her placement (Case Study)
Cassie is completing her placement at Trudy’s Dog Resort. She starts with a two-week block during the school holidays, giving her plenty of time to work on practical activities from her first study block.
Looking ahead at Block 2, Cassie notices that one assessment requires her to demonstrate a specific skill. She knows finding the right animal and opportunity during a short placement block could be difficult.
Cassie saves her remaining placement hours and attends one day per week during Block 2, giving her more opportunities to complete this and her other practical assessments.
What’s important is that your placement gives you enough opportunities to complete the practical activities and assessments required for your course. You should continue attending your workplace until all required Practical Task Worksheets and Workplace Assignments are completed, even if you have already completed around 100 hours of placement.
