Pet store jobs for 16 year olds

College

You could do a qualification to improve your career prospects and show employers that you're committed to learning more about working with animals. Relevant courses include:

• Level 2 Diploma in Animal Care
• Level 3 Diploma in Animal Management

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• funding advice
• search for courses

Apprenticeship

You can get into this job through an animal care and welfare assistant intermediate apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• guide to apprenticeships

Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to get experience of working with animals and could lead to paid work. You could look for opportunities with organisations like:

• RSPCA
• Dogs Trust
• Cats Protection

Direct Application

You may not need any formal qualifications to apply to work in a pet shop. It'll help if you've got experience of working with animals or a background in retail customer service.

Other Routes

You may be able to study with specialist animal welfare college or the Pet Industry Federation for a qualification in animal care.

Course are offered online, in the workplace and at college.

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• customer service skills
• the ability to work well with others
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• sensitivity and understanding
• the ability to use your initiative
• excellent verbal communication skills
• the ability to sell products and services
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day-to-day tasks

You will:

• give food and water to the animals
• clean out cages
• groom and exercise animals
• advise customers
• sell pet care products
• maintain stock levels
• deal with deliveries
• keep the store clean and tidy
• check the water temperature and chemical balance in fish tanks
• check all animals regularly for signs of disease

Working environment

You could work at a store.