ACM30122: Certificate III in Animal Care Services

Key facts

Pathway type

Australian nationally recognised qualification; ACM30122, Release 1 [source]

Read the specialisation with the title

The register describes boarding and day care, breeding, shelters and holding centres, grooming, sitting and other animal businesses. Seventeen units are required: seven core and ten electives. The core covers welfare assessment, safe interaction, communication, infection control, basic first aid, workplace safety and wellbeing. Animal Care, Pet Grooming and Customer Service have distinct elective rules. A reader comparing graduates should therefore ask for the transcript as well as the qualification name.

Match the electives to the intended workplace

A kennel worker wanting deeper husbandry experience and someone aiming to groom professionally have different learning priorities. Ask the provider for the actual electives it plans to deliver and how the selected combination meets the named specialisation. For a dog-focused route, discuss the species used in practical assessment, access to suitable dogs and the kinds of handling situations learners encounter. Do not infer experience with working stockdogs from a general animal-care award.

Understand the employment training option

The qualification description identifies an apprenticeship or traineeship pathway as suitable and states no national entry requirements. That is not an offer of employment or confirmation of a training contract in every state. A prospective employer and learner should identify the relevant jurisdiction’s arrangements, the supervising worker, paid duties and how off-job learning fits the roster. Confirm who provides equipment and where assessment occurs before treating ordinary kennel employment as an established traineeship.

Turn completion into evidence

Prepare practical examples relevant to the employer rather than listing every possible animal business in the training package. Explain how you followed care instructions, communicated a concern and maintained records within your responsibility. For grooming, explain the techniques and species actually assessed; for customer service, describe enquiries and escalation. Completion is useful evidence of learning, while workplace induction remains necessary. The register does not promise a vacancy, business approval or authority to perform regulated veterinary work.

Common questions

Sources & further reading

References for this guide. Rules and services can change; check the responsible organisation for current details.

• National Training Register — ACM30122 (opens in a new tab)

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