If you like hands-on work where you can get your hands dirty, qualifications in the Animal Care, Science or Horticulture fields can lead to careers where you will see genuine results for your efforts.
People love their animals and many diverse career opportunities exist in areas involved with their care. For people who would like to work in this rewarding field, the Companion Animal Services could be a great place to start.
Qualifications in Conservation and Land Management can lead to careers in environmental and natural resource management all over Australia.
If you love working outdoors with plants and machinery, qualifications in Horticulture are crucial to make these interests a satisfying career.
Laboratory technicians are essential to progress in every area of industry — it is their work that makes research and development possible. With growth forecast in manufacturing and mining, good laboratory skills will be increasingly sought.
*NB: Not all modes of study will be available at all campuses. Call 9267 7500 for details.
Courses in Animal Care, Science and Horticulture are delivered at Armadale, Balga, Bentley, Midland and Thornlie campuses.
Animal Care
Prerequisites Developed communication and mathematics skills, see http://swan.tafe.wa.edu.au/requirements
2 semesters full-time
Bentley Campus
This qualification will provide you with the practical skills and knowledge to feed, water and care for a range of companion animals in an efficient and humane manner. You will learn about animal behaviour and health, genetics, nutrition and anatomy, and the physiology of animals. You will also learn skills to assist customer with animal selection, handle and transport companion animals, to carry out breeding procedures, to operate the retail equipment and to follow workplace safety procedures.
Prerequisites Well developed communication and developed mathematics skills, see http://swan.tafe.wa.edu.au/requirements
2 semesters full-time
Bentley Campus
Veterinary nurses have a cool head in a crisis, and love animals. If you’d like to make a career of helping a veterinarian care for animals, this qualification will give you theoretical and hands-on skills in a surgical environment. You will learn about animal behaviour and health, genetics, nutrition, anatomy and the physiology of animals and how to assist with diagnostic procedures and preparation of medicines, how to assist with surgical procedures and how to care for and handle all sorts of animals.
Prerequisites Basic communication and developed mathematics skills, see http://swan.tafe.wa.edu.au/requirements
2 semesters full-time
Equine Training Centre, Armadale
Keeping horses at tip-top condition requires love, attention, hard work and skills. If your future is equine, this qualification will equip you with theoretical and practical knowledge in horse health and handling, gear and rugging, race day procedures, breeding and general day-to-day care. This course focuses on the thoroughbred and harness racing industry allowing opportunities for career pathways to all areas of the Equine industry.
Landcare
Prerequisites Developed communications and basic mathematics skills, see http://swan.tafe.wa.edu.au/requirements
1 semester full-time, part-time options available
Midland Campus
If you like being out in the fresh air, a career in conservation and land management offers many opportunities to conserve native plants and animals and rehabilitate land. This qualification will equip you with skills to work with plants and animals, deal with weeds, operate a safe workplace, manage resources, operate machinery, and much more.
Prerequisites Certificate II Conservation and Land Management, or equivalent or higher, see http://swan.tafe.wa.edu.au/requirements
1 semester full-time, part-time options available
Midland Campus
Building on your Certificate II Conservation and Land Management, the Certificate III allows you to specialise in a number of areas. You’ll cover what’s required to maintain and restore natural and cultural places and farmland.. Areas of specialisation include Indigenous land management, weed management, vertebrate pest management, parks and wildlife and many more.
Prerequisites Certificate III Conservation and Land Management or equivalent or higher, see http://swan.tafe.wa.edu.au/requirements
2 semesters, part-time options available, on-the-job
Midland Campus
A career in conservation and land management is about the future as much as it is about the present. Use the skills you have from Certificate II and III and expand them to natural resource management, land management, minesite rehabilitation, developing and leading teams to implement conservation and land management strategies and more.
Science
Prerequisites Basic communication skills, see http://swan.tafe.wa.edu.au/requirements
1 semester full-time
Campus Thornlie
Samplers, field assistants, testers and laboratory assistants are in heavy demand with Western Australia’s resources boom. You will learn how to gather and test samples in a production environment, in the field, and in a laboratory. This qualification may be undertaken as a traineeship, but you will need to arrange this with an employer.
Prerequisites Basic communication skills, see http://swan.tafe.wa.edu.au/requirements
2 semesters full-time
Campus Thornlie
Laboratory assistants need practical skills in collecting and preparing samples, and carrying out, measuring and recording the results of experiments. This qualification will give you skills in maintaining and working in a laboratory in the physical, chemical, biological and life sciences.
Prerequisites Developed communication and mathematics skills, see http://swan.tafe.wa.edu.au/requirements
2 semesters full-time
Campus Thornlie
Build on your Certificate III Laboratory Skills with units in quality control, performance of instrumental and non-instrumental tests, standardisation and use of solutions. This qualification will give you the skills to work as a technical assistant, technician or instrument operator.
Prerequisites Developed communication and mathematics skills, see http://swan.tafe.wa.edu.au/requirements
4 semesters full-time
Campus Thornlie
Learn the practical skills and knowledge you need to use laboratory application software, plan and conduct laboratory/field work and communicate and provide information to customers. This course
will also teach you how to analyse, process and interpret data, report results and apply quality system and continuous improvement processes.
Horticulture
Prerequisites Basic communication skills, see http://swan.tafe.wa.edu.au/requirements
1 semester full-time
Midland Campus
Do you have a green thumb and want to make a career out of it? Do you want to learn gardening skills? This qualification will give you skills to assist with the growing of plants, using basic gardening machinery, and learning about landscaping. Learn how to maintain plant growing areas, care for plants and maintain a safe workplace.
Prerequisites Developed communication and mathematics skills, see http://swan.tafe.wa.edu.au/requirements
1 semester full-time
Midland Campus
Know your olive from your oleander? Your ficus from your fennel? A Certificate II Horticulture will give you a range of theoretical and practical skills like propagation, tending nursery plants, planting, pruning, treating weeds, pests and diseases for a career in nurseries, gardening or landscaping.
Prerequisites Certificate II Horticulture or equivalent, see http://swan.tafe.wa.edu.au/requirements
1 semester full-time
Midland Campus
At Certificate III Horticulture level, you can develop specialised knowledge in the use of plants in a range of areas like landscaping, nursery, parks and gardens and turf management. This qualification goes into depth about irrigation, pest and disease control, plant identification, plant nutrition, turf maintenance, machinery use and more.
*NB: Not all modes of study will be available at all campuses. Call 9267 7500 for details.