Greenwood Academy

How I got started with Animal Care in Australia 🐾

🥺I originally found out about animal care courses simply because I love cats and dogs. I had no idea there were actually dedicated courses for learning how to care for animals until I came to Australia. It turns out this pathway is quite common here and is known as Animal Care. Some of my classmates were complete beginners like me, while others had owned pets for years or were planning to build a future career working with animals.

🇦🇺In Australia, these courses are delivered through recognised Certificate programs. The three main levels are:

1️⃣ Certificate II in Animal Care (ACM20121)
This course covers animal behaviour basics, daily animal care, health observation, feeding, and environmental management. It takes 6 months to complete and classes are 2 days per week.

2️⃣ Certificate III in Animal Care Services (ACM30122)
This course goes further into animal behaviour, animal care and nutrition management, pet grooming, and more. It takes 12 months to complete and classes are 3 days per week.

3️⃣ Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing (ACM40418)
This is the veterinary nursing qualification and focuses on veterinary assistance and clinical animal care. It takes 18 months to complete and classes are 3 days per week.

🙋🏻‍♀️I chose Certificate II in Animal Care. For beginners, both Cert II and Cert III can be good options, but I personally preferred Cert II because it was shorter and felt more manageable. It also gives me the flexibility to decide later whether I want to continue into Cert IV. If you're starting with no experience, you'll generally need to complete Cert II or Cert III before progressing to Cert IV and the vet nurse pathway.

⭕️If you're like me and love animals, and you're curious about whether this pathway might suit you, you can always come and check out my school first. Greenwood Academy (RTO Code: 45916) is currently offering campus visits at both its Sydney and Melbourne campuses. You can sit in a classroom, experience the learning environment for yourself, and learn more about the courses, study pathways, and future opportunities. It's a great way to see whether animal care is something you'd genuinely enjoy pursuing.

🐶🩺 A 2-Year Pathway to Becoming a Vet Nurse in Australia

Working as a Vet Nurse in Australia is more than just a job, it's a career where you get to help animals every day.

From assisting veterinarians and caring for animals to supporting treatments and recovery, it’s a practical and rewarding profession for people who genuinely love working with pets.
But how do you actually become a Vet Nurse in Australia?🤔

One of the key qualifications is the ✅Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing (ACM40418).

What many people don't realise is that if you have no previous animal care experience, you'll usually need to complete a Certificate II or Certificate III in Animal Care before starting Vet Nursing.
So if you're starting from scratch, here's a pathway worth considering 👇
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📝 Recommended Pathway
✅Certificate II in Animal Care (ACM20121)
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✅Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing (ACM40418)
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Why is this pathway great for beginners?
1️⃣ Complete it in just 2 years
Certificate II takes approximately 6 months.
Certificate IV takes approximately 18 months.
That's a total of just 24 months to gain the qualifications needed to pursue a Vet Nursing career in Australia.
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2️⃣ Build a strong foundation first
Certificate II is designed for beginners and covers topics such as:
🐾 Animal behaviour
🐾 Daily animal care
🐾 Health and welfare
🐾 Safe animal handling
This helps you build confidence before moving into the more advanced veterinary nursing skills taught in Cert IV.
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3️⃣ Learn through practical experience
One of the best parts of studying animal care is the hands-on learning.
Throughout your training, you'll have opportunities to work with real animals, develop practical skills, and gain valuable industry experience.
It's a great way to build confidence, improve your employability, and start connecting with people already working in the industry.
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🏫 Interested in learning more?
Greenwood Academy (RTO Code: 45916) is currently offering campus tours at our Sydney campus.
You can:
✅ Explore the campus
✅ See the classrooms and facilities
✅ Ask questions about the courses
✅ Learn about career pathways
✅ Get personalised advice based on your goals
Whether you're interested in becoming a Vet Nurse, working in animal care, or simply exploring your options, a campus visit is a great place to start.

🔗 Book your campus tour here:
https://gwacademy.edu.au/book-a-campus-tour-form/

🥺 Sydney friends, can you help these two little sisters find their forever home?

These two adorable kitten sisters recently arrived at our animal care school, and we're hoping to find a loving family for them.

They're around 10 weeks old, full of curiosity, and spend most of their day playing, exploring, and following each other everywhere they go. 💛

We've really loved having them at the school, but what they need most now is a permanent home where they can continue growing up together.

They have already been:

✔ Desexed
✔ Vaccinated
✔ Wormed
✔ Microchipped

They've also been socialised with other cats, small dogs, students and staff, so they're confident, friendly little girls.

🥺 We'd absolutely love for them to be adopted together if possible. Watching them play, cuddle and look after each other has been incredibly sweet.

If you're interested in adopting them, or would like to learn more, please send us a message or apply here:

https://gwacademy.edu.au/adoption-program/

And if you're unable to adopt, a simple share could make all the difference.

The more people who see this post, the better chance these two sisters have of finding the loving home they deserve. 🐱🐱💛

Thank you for helping us spread the word.

What your bunny is actually trying to say.

Is anyone in Sydney looking to adopt kittens? 🥺🐱

We recently welcomed 2 little kitten sisters to our school, and they’re now looking for their forever home.

They’re around 10 weeks old and have already been:
✔ Desexed
✔ Vaccinated
✔ Wormed
✔ Microchipped
They’ve also been around other cats and small dogs at our school, and have met lots of people already, so they’re very friendly and well socialised.

🥺 They’re still so tiny and adorable right now, and you’ll get to watch them slowly grow up together.

If you’d like to give them a loving home, feel free to send us a message or apply here: https://gwacademy.edu.au/adoption-program/.

And if you know anyone who might be interested, we’d really appreciate a share to help these two little sisters find their forever home 💛