Orientation: Wednesday 29th January 2025 9am-2pm

Block 1: Monday 10th February 2025 till Friday 14th February 2025
Block 2: Monday 17th March 2025 till Friday 21st March 2025
Block 3: Monday 12th May 2025 till Friday 16th May 2025
Block 4: Monday 28th July 2025 till Friday 1st August 2025
Block 5: Monday 1st September 2025 till Friday 5th September 2025
Block 6: Monday 3rd November 2025 till Friday 7th November 2025
Block 7: Monday 8th December 2025 till Friday 12th December 2025

Times & Dates subject to change with notice

By completing this application you acknowledge the following conditions:

1. Your application will be evaluated and if you are successful, you will be offered a position in the ACM30321 Certificate III in Wildlife and Exhibited Animal Care with the Taronga Training Institute. Commercial course fees can be paid in full or in four equal instalments. The first instalment is due within two weeks of the offer being made. A $300 acceptance and administration fee will be retained out of the 1st Instalment of fees paid in the event that the student withdraws their enrolment during the two-week cooling off period. NOTE: No payment of course fees is required until being offered a position in the course and the offer being accepted at which time payment of course fees will be required
2. The completion of your application does not constitute enrolment in the course. All applications will be reviewed based on eligibility and merit. Applicants deemed most suitable, based on their response to the selection criteria questions contained within the application will be invited to attend an onsite or online interview after applications close. You may withdraw your application at any stage, prior to being offered/accepting a position.
3. You understand that if you are successful in being offered a position in the course in Adelaide, you will be assigned to 3 x 2-week blocks of practical placement. Practical days will start as early as 8am and finish by 5pm. Classroom lessons will be held in 7 x 1- week blocks. Classes will commence at 8am and conclude by 5pm each day.
4. Students are required to attend ALL practical days; any that are missed will need to be rescheduled and may incur an administration fee.
5. Attendance is expected at ALL classes; attendance of less than 80% of classes may result in the missed unit/s of competency needing to be repeated at the student's expense prior to being eligible for the issue of a qualification.
6. You understand that during the placement at Zoos South Australia, all instructions given by Zoos South Australia staff must be adhered to for your welfare and that of the animals.
7. You understand that in order to be eligible to study with the Taronga Training Institute you must be an Australian Citizen, permanent resident of Australia or a New Zealand Citizen residing in Australia.
8. You understand that it is a requirement of this course that you wear the Taronga Training Institute uniform (issued polo and jumper) when you attend classroom sessions and onsite practical days. The course fee includes two polo shirts and one jumper. Additional uniform items can be purchased at $50 per item. You will be required to provide and wear neutral coloured shorts or pants and work boots.
9. The Taronga Training Institute is committed to minimising its use of paper. As such you confirm you have access to a computer to access course material, and upload assessments. The use of a laptop (preferred) or tablet in the classroom is necessary. You must be computer literate and can access the internet to upload and download assessments and course work when required.
10. You understand if you enrol into a course with Taronga Training Institute you will be required to access the online student management system on a regular basis to receive and send communication to the institute.
11. You will answer all questions truthfully and to the best of your ability and you acknowledge that you have completed the application questions and you have not had any other person complete the application on your behalf.

Work Health and Safety considerations:

1. Taronga Training Institute is required and committed to ensure that all prospective students satisfy the inherent requirements and job demands of the course for which they are being considered and that all students are safe in fulfilling the practical components of their course. This information is required for the purpose of assessing your fitness for participation in the course. Please Note: medical clearance may be required if requested by Taronga’s WHS Manager or the Taronga Training Institute Manager.
2. Zoos South Australia requires all students to bring their own dust masks when undertaking their onsite practical days. Dust masks can be purchased at any hardware retailer. 
3. Zoos South Australia may require students to be vaccinated at their own expense and you will be required to comply with any vaccination requirements of Zoos South Australia.
4. Taronga Training Institute also reserves the right to include any other vaccinations as required.
5. Taronga’s Veterinary and Animal Health Team in consultation with Taronga’s Work Health and Safety Manager would like to advise you that working in some areas of the zoo poses a risk to both animals and humans in the transfer of tuberculosis. Taronga requires you to provide TB clearance prior to commencement if you are identified as being in a high-risk category for tuberculosis. You will need to provide TB clearance if you fit into any of the following categories:

• Born overseas in a high TB incidence country
• Lived overseas in a high TB incidence country for longer than 3 months
• Have known exposure to a TB positive person

Please note: TB clearance is not required prior to acceptance of a position in the course

Please be advised that the risk of contracting TB is very low. However, you may choose to seek further advice from your health professional.

Course assessments are a combination of written answers, reports, case studies, projects, practical activities, observations of students performing tasks, self-assessments and supervisor reports.

Accredited training through the Taronga Training Institute involves mandatory classroom sessions, tutorials, workshops, practical placement and practical assessment sessions. In addition to these mandatory dates, you will have independent study and research, learning activities and other course related activities. We would expect that you will need to spend 30+ hours per week completing your course requirements.  

Under our obligations as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), students of the Taronga Training Institute must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident of Australia or a New Zealand citizen residing in Australia or hold an acceptable visa (with no study restrictions) and be approved by Taronga Training Institute. 

Accordingly, Taronga Training Institute does not currently deliver to students outside of these criteria and we do not delivery any accredited training via overseas or international partnerships. 

When on site, Taronga Training Institute students are required to wear the Taronga Training Institute polo shirt and jumper which is provided and included in your course fees. Additional uniform items may be purchased at the start of the course. Please speak to your Support Officer during Orientation for further details.

Taronga Training Institute, Registered Training Organisation No. 91359, is the course provider. Taronga Training Institute, as the RTO, is responsible for the quality of training and assessment in compliance with the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015, and for the issuance of the AQF [Australian Qualification Framework] certification documentation. 

We have captured most of the questions we have previously received either on our website or in our Student Handbook. Please thoroughly read both and if you still have questions, you can email us at tti@zoo.nsw.gov.au.