Brand new animal care FE course created for Welsh speakers

The ground-breaking new Level 2 Diploma in Animal Care available exclusively to Welsh speakers is the result of awarding organisation iPET Network winning government grant funding to help support the development of fully bilingual animal related qualifications.

The bespoke iPET Network diploma is the jewel in the crown of the new bi-lingual portfolio of qualifications, and it is hoped that the qualification will encourage more learners to come forward, and take jobs in this growth sector.

Development of this qualification started over two years ago taking feedback from colleges of how the current qualifications being delivered could be improved, iPET Network created all the workbooks, assessment documentation and resources to support effective delivery of this new qualification.

Sarah Mackay and Fern Gresty of the iPET Network, which creates Ofqual regulated qualifications for UK animal industries, said:

“This is an important project to us, as accessibility and inclusiveness is at the heart of all we do.

“By providing these qualifications bilingually, more people than ever will be able to enter the industries we love, with a high skill level which is so needed as these industries grow.

“As well as being more accessible for those whose preferred language is Welsh, the qualifications are far more based on becoming ready for work than anything else out there and smaller qualifications to support additional learning.

“In the Animal Care and Management qualification there are practical mandatory subjects such as Animal Health and Diseases and Health Safety and Hygiene, and optional units including Animal Nursing Skills and Customer Care, the focus is on getting learners ready to start work as soon as they qualify or progress on to a higher qualification, in sectors which have been identified as ‘in need’ by Welsh Government.”

In an effort to offer accessible qualifications in growth industries, including Dog Grooming and Animal Care, iPET Network has received funding from Qualifications Wales’ Welsh Language Support Grant to create five new qualifications.

The full list of qualifications that will be available bilingually are:

iPET Network Level 1 Award in Preparing for Work in Dog Grooming
iPET Network Level 2 Diploma Animal Care
iPET Network Level 3 Award in Canine First Aid
iPET Network Level 3 Award in Equine Emergency First Aid
iPET Network Level 2 Award in First Aid for Dogs

The qualifications, which will be available for delivery from April 2024, will enable learners for whom Welsh is their preferred language to have the opportunity to learn and complete the qualifications in Welsh. With the support of iPET Networks approved Training Providers, the qualifications will be designated for funding allowing those who can teach and train in Welsh the option to register learners.

As well as being fully available in Welsh, these qualifications have been designed to meet the needs of the Welsh market and prepare learners for work in the Animal Care Sector. Colleges and private training providers who would like to know more about offering the qualifications are being asked to come forward to help support the roll out and designation of the qualifications.

The purpose of Qualifications Wales’ Welsh Language Support Grant is to support awarding bodies in offering qualifications and assessment through the medium of Welsh, with priority given to qualifications for use by learners aged 14-19 on full-time funded programmes of learning or publicly funded apprenticeships.

Dr. Alex Lovell, Qualifications Manager at Qualifications Wales, said:

“We are pleased to have awarded grant funding to iPET Network to ensure that these brand-new qualifications will be available in both Welsh and English from the point of first delivery.

 “Providing an active and equal offer to learners in Wales from the outset reflects best practice and increases the likelihood that learners will take up new qualifications in Welsh.

 “We are grateful to iPET Network for working collaboratively with us in our work to increase the availability of Welsh-medium qualifications.”

 To find out more about the iPET Network go to www.ipetnetwork.co.uk