Animal Care and Welfare Assistant Apprenticeship

Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm

Truro (TR4 9LW)

Closes in 18 days (Monday 14 September 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 27 August 2026

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Summary

Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm are offering an exciting opportunity to join their dynamic team as an Animal Care and Welfare Assistant apprentice! Gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours to kickstart your career in this exciting industry.

• Wage:

  £16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

  National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

  Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

• Training course: Animal care and welfare assistant (level 2)
• Hours: To be confirmed.

  40 hours a week

• Start date:

  Thursday 1 October 2026

• Duration:

  1 year

• Positions available:

  1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

Each Morning:

• Feeding and providing all farm animals with water, fresh hay and straw.
• Cleaning out pens and enclosures to a high standard.
• Ensuring the physical wellbeing of all the animals on the farm Day to Day.
• Ensure all animals are kept pest, parasite free and wounds are treated. Give any animal requiring medication its prescribed treatment.

Typical daily tasks will include, but not be limited to:

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Adhere to regulations concerning birds and animals and movement of animals including safe movement of animals from one area of the farm to another.
• All paperwork for animals to be kept up to date including diaries, passports and movement forms.
• Instigate a breeding programme to maximise and renew stock.
• Maintain pens, gates, fences, cattle tools and aids.
• You will be on call for various telehandler and tractor duties which arise across all sites including harvesting, hedge trimming, mowing and any other tractor jobs which arise at either farm.
• Support the Visitor Centre as an “on-call” tractor driver when required for all tours (Training provided).
• Assisting the Site Team in maintaining the condition of the farm buildings and other maintenance work across the farm.
• Ensure the farm is kept clean, safe and tidy.
• Alerting the Head of Estates to any problems regarding the animals or farm.
• Responsibility for MeritAg Check and ensuring vehicles and machinery are fit for use.
• Carry out routine checks on weekly and monthly basis as specified by Head of Estates.
• That the goals and objectives of the company are achieved by assisting in providing a preventative maintenance system for all areas of Healeys Cyder Farm.
• Following all farm health and safety procedures and complying with animal welfare legislation.

Where you'll work

Penhallow
Truro
TR4 9LW

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

CORNWALL COLLEGE

Training course

Animal care and welfare assistant (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• comply with UK and EU Animal related legislation
• work effectively in a safe and healthy working environment following current / relevant health and safety legislation and work place policies
• identify and report potential hazards and breaches of security within animal accommodation/enclosures
• clean and maintain animal accommodation/enclosures/environment and equipment and provide appropriate resources including species specific enrichment (e.g. hiding, perches and areas to dig)
• maintain hygiene, bio security procedures and infection controls when working with animals including quarantine and isolation
• dispose of waste in a safe and appropriate manner in line with legislative and workplace requirements
• store, use and administer medication in line with legislative and veterinary instructions as appropriate
• monitor, record and report the health and welfare of animals in line with animal welfare legislation and workplace policies
• observe and be aware of the behaviour of animals and take appropriate actions
• approach/handle/restrain/move/recapture animals as part of routine husbandry appropriate for the species and individual
• exercise/socialise animals and provide appropriate enrichment relevant to their specific needs
• provide appropriate care, for example coat, skin, scales, plumage and feet to ensure good health and appearance
• provide food and water to animals and monitor the intake
• store and care for foodstuffs
• identify and describe animals using appropriate methods to the species involved (e.g. scanning for microchips)
• maintain, update and reference correct records in accordance with current legislation
• deliver customer experience (internal and external), where applicable, in line with workplace policies and procedures
• respond to animal first aid, urgent, ongoing and preventive care requirements as appropriate
• Beyond routine animal husbandry as listed in the core i.e. for animals with specific needs, unknown or unpredictable behaviour: i.e. animals recovering from routine operations such as neutering, or who may be obese, pregnant or fearful. Behaviour such as barking or pulling on the lead or who react unpredictably when meeting other animals.
• follow a prepared interaction/handling plan to prepare the animal and resources required i.e. muzzle, collar leads, harnesses, head collars, crush cage, grasper, snake hook, hoods
• undertake interaction/handling activities and use methods such as desensitisation and socialisation in accordance with the interaction/handling plan
• handle the animal throughout the interaction/handling to promote the animal’s health, normal behaviour and physical and emotional welfare
• monitor, report and record the response and welfare of the animal throughout interaction/handling activities
• apply techniques which take into account the animal’s welfare and emotional wellbeing, such as positive reinforcement to interact/handle the animal
• contribute to the assessment of an animal’s readiness for rehoming
• provide advice to customers/clients on the suitability of animals according to their circumstances and experience in line with the workplace policies and procedures
• support customers/clients during the rehoming/intake process and provide direction to further sources of information and guidance following rehoming of an animal
• contribute to the assessment of the animal during the intake process
• contribute to the matching process
• prepare means of transport appropriate for animals, ensuring serviceability and cleanliness
• prepare animals for movement and/or transportation taking into consideration their welfare potentially dealing with sick or injured animals
• use of appropriate equipment and methods to move and transport animals ensuring their safety and security
• monitor the physical and emotional health and welfare of animals during and after movement and transportation
• identify route and contingency plans
• identify if an animal required veterinary care and take appropriate action
• present a safe, friendly and welcoming reception for internal and external customers/clients/animals as appropriate
• provide information, advice, support and guidance on a range of topics such as animal care and welfare to customers/clients and seek advice when necessary
• use appropriate methods of technology for internal and external communication such as telephone, walkie talkies, email and scanning documents
• prepare, receive and store deliveries of goods including animal related products such as food stuffs and sundry items
• prepare and display stock for sale, including stock rotation
• take payment for goods, services and charitable donations
• process customer and animal registrations and bookings
• keep records for individual animals and people in line with the organisation’s procedures
• prepare animals and environment for mating
• monitor animals during parturition, recognising signs of difficulty
• carry out general care of animals through gestation
• prepare and manage pregnant animals pre and post parturition
• provide appropriate care and monitoring of neonates
• carry out procedures for caring for the young (once weaned) and introducing them to new environments
• socialise young animals appropriately
• fit and maintain appropriate equipment, ensuring the dog can operate safely
• conduct refresher/maintenance training with the support of a helper and dog trainer at an appropriate frequency to maintain the minimum standard of operational performance.
• interpret the dog’s behaviour and indications and react accordingly to the operational situation
• ensure that the dog team (handler and dog) maintains the minimum standard of operational performance as determined by national standards or the employers’ policies and procedures
• operate the dog team within the legal and ethical framework associated with their employment
• transport working dogs
• respond to collection requests
• identify wild animals that are suitable for rehabilitation and release
• plan and undertake rehabilitation for release into the wild
• capture and handle healthy and casualty wild animals
• move and transport wild animals appropriately
• release and monitor wild animals as appropriate
• carry out the hand rearing of wildlife species
• identify a range of different species (wildlife) or breeds (domestic) in order to understand the behavioural and ecological needs of the animal as well as be aware of the potential risks it may pose
• support, as directed, a veterinary surgeon / veterinary nurse in a clinical environment with: dealing with potential and actual emergency situations pre and post-operative care patient monitoring for example anaesthetic monitoring in-patient care diagnostic care/tests/X-rays – positioning and exposing the dispensing and administration of medication end of life care for pets and providing support for the owner

Training schedule

You will be working towards a Level 2 Animal care apprenticeship standard.

Day release: every Thursday - Rosewarne Campus.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 3/D)
• Maths (grade 3/D)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Problem solving skills
• Presentation skills
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience

Other requirements

Reliable travel arrangements do need to be considered.

About this employer

Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm is a family-run, open all year-round visitor attraction and home to the thriving production house of the famous Rattler Cyder! Since the company was founded in 1980, Healeys has grown exponentially, with listings across large supermarket chains such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda and Morrisons, in addition to our regional and national wholesale partners. With a multi-faceted production facility specialising in a range of products from ciders, wines, preserves and spirits, our business is not only exciting place to visit and shop but a great place to work.

After this apprenticeship

Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).

Upon successfully completing the apprenticeship, there may be a permanent role available.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

CORNWALL COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000050413.

Apply now

Closes in 18 days (Monday 14 September 2026 at 11:59pm)