Animal Care

ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care (VETDSS High School)

Open your eyes to the amazing world of working
with animals

Are you crazy about animals? Can you see a future where you will care for animals and play an active role in their welfare?

If you’re an upper high school aged student, we offer the ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care as a VETDSS course. Our VETDSS course at Landsdale Farm is specifically structured for years 10 – 12 high school students who wish to integrate a VET course with their final years of secondary school study.

You’ll attend Landsdale Farm in Darch, WA one day a week and work hands-on with companion and farm animals as well as participate in classroom and practical sessions conducted by experienced AVT trainers who hold working with children checks. Your course is designed so you do not have to find an additional work placement position.

The ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care has been assessed as appropriate for inclusion on the Department of Training and Workforce Development’s VET delivered to Secondary Schools funded list 2025.

This certificate will allow you to meet the prerequisite for the national qualification in veterinary nursing or start your career as an animal carer or attendant.

If you can’t attend our on-site course at Landsdale Farm, we also offer the ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care as a VETDSS online course for high school students.

Course snapshot

Duration: One semester**

Application status: Apply now

Practical training: 1 day per week at Landsdale Farm in Darch, WA

Prerequisite: No prior qualifications are required

Best suited to: Years 10 – 12 high school aged students who are passionate about a career working with animals^

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Jobs and Skills WA VETDSS funded places available

The ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care is included on the Department of Training and Workforce Development’s VET delivered to Secondary Schools funded list.

The VET Fees and Charges Policy applies to Department funded VET delivered to secondary students. This means enrolled school students are exempt from course and resource fees if they are undertaking a Department funded VET course. Read eligibility and criteria information.

Do you know we offer
School-Based
Traineeships?

Find out more about a school-based traineeship in Animal Care.

Course outline

Select headings below to learn more about this course

Attendance & Practical Training

This is an on-site course. Where you will:

Attend Landsdale Farm in Darch, WA 1 day per week from 8:00am – 3:00pm for classes and practical training, and
Complete online eLearning from home and during classes

If you are not Perth-based or are unable to attend Landsdale Farm for weekly classes and practical training, we highly recommend our online course option: ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care (Online).

**Please note, as of 2026 our VETDSS course duration will change from 1 semester to 3 terms.

Entry Requirements

Students must:

Provide your Unique Student Identifier (USI). More info about USI >>
Be available to participate in ALL training days (1 day per week) including a class commencement day in December
Hold C Grades in English and Maths or equivalent
Be physically capable of restraining animals, handling animal feed e.g. large bags of food of up to 10kg and standing for extended periods of time
Bring a laptop and headphones on-site each week to complete online assessments
Have a reliable internet connection and access to a desktop computer or laptop at home or school to write, submit and in some cases upload assessments and various types of multi-media in your own time

^Please note that Year 12 students are only eligible to apply for the semester one intake of this course.

Credit Transfers

Students with eligible credit transfers may apply; however, due to the course delivery format, 100% attendance is required for on-site training days.

Uniform

You will be required to wear:

An AVT top, hat and name badge (supplied by AVT)
Steel-capped shoes (supplied by student)
Neatly presented, long comfortable work pants suitable for bending and manual work (supplied by student).

What to expect

Essential Requirements
Throughout this course, you will need to:

Collaborate in group settings using both verbal and non-verbal communication.
Effectively communicate with your peers and Trainer and Assessor.
Follow written and verbal instructions accurately.
Engage in group activities and practical assessments alongside your peers.
Complete workplace documentation using industry-specific language.
Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including steel toe-capped boots, gloves and sun protection.
Work within an animal care facility, handling and caring for various species. This environment by its nature will expose you to potential allergens.
Adhere to hygiene protocols to ensure animal health, which may involve contact with animal waste such as uneaten food, urine, faeces, soiled bedding and enrichment items.

Environmental Requirements
In this course, you will:

Attend classes with a maximum of 24 students.
Work outdoors, exposed to various weather conditions.
Encounter moderate levels of noise, including animal sounds, the general public and farm machinery.
Be physically capable of lifting equipment, and standing or walking for extended periods.

Assessment Types
You will be assessed on your skills and knowledge in various ways, including:

Written answers, online assessments and tests, multiple choice questions, presentations, verbal questioning and practical tasks visually assessed by Trainer and Assessors.

What will you learn?

On successful completion of this course you will have the knowledge to approach, handle and care for a range of companion and farm animals.

In addition to the topics covered in the Certificate II in Animal Care VET schools course, you will be introduced to:

Working in the world of animal care
Understanding body language in animals and how to encourage natural animal behaviour
Safety around animals including how to keep you and animals safe from each other
Communication skills including how to build effective relationships with supervisors, peers, customers and clients in an animal care workplace
Sustainability in the animal care industry
Providing animal care information including how to help pet owners source information about the care and welfare of their pets e.g. providing preventative health treatments in a pet shop environment
Practicing and learning about low stress animal handling and minimising stress to animals in an enclosed or captive environment
Observing animal behaviour for health and wellness
Enrichment in an animal care environment including making enrichment activities for different species
Basic animal health care including first aid for animals

Course outcomes

AVT animal care graduates are successful in starting their careers in a variety of roles.

Job outcomes

High School Students who complete ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care start out in roles such as:

Kennel hands or cattery attendant
Animal care attendant
Welfare shelter attendant
Junior farm hand / attendant
Station hand
Retail assistants (pet and feed shops)
Stable hands
Veterinary assistants

Career opportunities

Some of the organisations actively recruiting Animal Care graduates include:

Dog, cat and pet boarding facilities
Shelters for animals including rehoming organisations
Retail businesses such as pet shops
Wildlife care and rehabilitation centres
Animal welfare organisations
Farming and agricultural organisations
Horse agistment and stables
Veterinary clinics

Want to learn more? Read our post about: The top careers working with animals and salary expectations in Australia.

Want to study
VETDSS online?

Find out more about ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care – VETDSS Online

Course content

Our ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care VETDSS for High School Students course provides fundamental knowledge and skills reflected in an exhibited farm animal setting.

Expand to explore the full list of units in this animal care course

Course Units

You will complete the following units:

ACMWHS201 Participate in workplace health & safety processes
ACMGEN202 Complete animal care hygiene routines
BSBCMM211 Apply communication skills
ACMGEN203 Feed & water animals
ACMGEN204 Assist in health care of animals
ACMSUS201 Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices
ACMGEN201 Work in the animal care industry
ACMINF201 Handle companion animals safely and follow infection control guidelines
ACMGEN103 Assist in the care of animals
ACMGEN205 Source and provide information for animal care needs
ACMGEN102 Approach and handle a range of calm animals
ACMGEN309 Provide basic animal first aid

Why choose AVT for your VET Animal Care Course?

No stress for you or your VET Coordinator – You do not have to worry about finding a work placement normally required for this course. Your training and face-to-face practical assessments will be conducted on-site.
You will work hands-on with a range of companion and farm animals at Landsdale Farm.
Our qualified Trainers deliver supervised practical training and assessments with a structured study timetable to ensure you stay on track. All Trainers hold valid working with children checks to ensure your safety.
Regularly updated course material that is easy to follow and will help you understand and apply theory with ease.
An AVT animal care certificate is well recognised by industry and will give you job ready skills to increase your opportunities for employment in the animal care industry and provides recognition towards entry into further studies.

Completion of this qualification meets the prerequisite for ACM40418 Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing however, it does not guarantee you a place. Due to high demand, our AVT selection criteria also apply. Please read full details on our Veterinary Nursing Course Entry page.

What students are saying about this course

"I enjoyed being able to interact hands on with animals. The fact that they weren't domestic pets like many other courses made it a unique experience and unlike anything else I have done and probably will ever do in my schooling career."

"My favourite part of the course was the learning environment and the ability to meet like minded friends! The environment was not stressful for me, and I felt like I was completely set up to succeed."

Fees & inclusions

Funded students: $0*

Eligible Jobs and Skills WA VETDSS funded students are exempt from course and resource fees*

Eligibility for Jobs and Skills WA VETDSS funded place

The State Government has committed to increasing VETDSS to ensure that more WA school students have access to high quality VET in schools as an option that contributes to them attaining their Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE). Please see the Jobs and Skills WA Fact Sheet for VET Delivered to Secondary Students (VETDSS) for more detailed eligibility and criteria information.

AVT can only consider applications for funded places for students who can attend the on-site course. Please ensure you meet the entry requirements before applying for a Jobs and Skills WA VETDSS funded place.

Non-funded students: $3,648

Non-funded students are eligible for our monthly payment plan. This includes an initial payment of $348 plus 5 x $660 monthly payments.

Course inclusions

Dedicated student support
Mentoring by AVT Trainers
Practical training insurance

Training on-site at Landsdale Farm
Access to the AVT interactive online elearning centre

Assessments and Certification
Work Placement Kit: Uniform, name badge and workbook

*Fees subject to change. Please visit our website or speak to our Student Support team for information on eligibility. Funded places are subject to eligibility and availability. Student tuition fees are indicative only and are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment.

Apply now

Course Dates
Semester 2, 2025 Intake	Apply Now
Be notified of future intakes	Register Interest

This course has limited places with high demand. We reserve the right to close course intakes before the advertised close date. If applications are open, we recommend applying as early as possible. For more details on the application process please visit this link.

FAQs

Entry Requirements

General Questions About This Course

Fees, Subsidies and More

Qualification

International Students Living in Australia and Overseas & Non-Resident Visa Holders

RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) including Credit Transfers

B

Can I use a Record of Results or Statement of Academic Record for Credit Transfer?

To receive a credit for a unit of competency that you have previously been awarded, you must be able to supply a verifiable Testamur (certificate) or Statement of Attainment obtained from the issuing provider.

A Testamur or Statement of Attainment must either contain the wording ‘The qualification is recognised within the Australian Qualifications Framework’ or the AQF logo authorised by the AQF Council.

A Record of Results or Statement of Academic Record by itself is not sufficient when applying for a credit transfer of a nationally recognised unit of competency.

If you do not have a copy of your Testamur or Statement of Attainment you are responsible for requesting a copy from the issuing provider, we are unable to do this on your behalf.

For more information about RPL see our frequently asked questions here.

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