Work Experience
Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital offers work experience placements to help you gain that essential hands-on experience with animals that future employers or training courses require. Meet some amazing wildlife that you would never normally get the chance to see. Tiggywinkles treats over 10,000 British wild creatures every year, so there is always plenty of species to get up close to.
Christmas 2023 Placements
Placements are available from Monday 18th December 2023 to Tuesday 2nd January 2024 only.
We are offering work experience placements for a block of 11 days, working either :
Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri & Sat (starting from Tuesday 18/12/23 to Tuesday 2/1/24)
or Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed & Thu (starting from Monday 18/12/23 to Monday 1/1/24)
Working day is 9am to 4pm each day. Except on the following dates: 25/12 – 8am to 10.30am; 26/12 – 8am to 11.30am; 1/1 – 8am to 11.30am
You need to be available for ALL 11 days in your chosen block please, including all bank holidays (including Christmas) that may fall in your working days. Please do bear in mind the lack of public transport over those public holiday dates.
Work Experience Tasks
The main tasks are hands-on husbandry of the thousand plus wild animals currently undergoing treatment and rehabilitation at our hospital – which means you will spend your day cleaning cages and enclosures, preparing and providing food, with some handling of a variety of wild species. In addition you may be asked to help out with:
- Enclosure & site maintenance as required, which may involve weeding or painting
- Assisting with deliveries of food stuffs
Please note, we only offer non-clinical placements.
PLEASE NOTE: applications for the next calendar year should be submitted after 1 September.
Requirements
- Students must be over 16 and able to work independently.
- You must have in date tetanus cover.
- Tasks are very physical, so be prepared for working inside or outside, whatever the weather.
- Priority is given to students already on an animal related training programme.
- Extended placements (of longer than 3 weeks) are only offered after completion of a trial period.
- Dress code is jeans and a plain black top, with trainers or boots. Wellies and waterproofs are recommended when working outside (please check the staff room rota). Dark coloured outdoor clothing only.
- No jewellery and long hair must be tied back at all times.
- No known allergies to animals, animal feed (including nuts) or latex.
As a charity, Tiggywinkles cannot offer any financial support or help with accommodation or expenses. You will need to arrange your own travel or place to stay if required. Tiggywinkles may terminate the work experience placement immediately if any Health and Safety or Animal Welfare rules are broken, or any placement student behaves in an unprofessional manner.
