Be an Animal Technician

Be an Animal Technician

Like human beings, animals too, need to be nurtured. Animal technicians are their nurses and caretakers. An animal care technician or an animal technician usually works in places such as a research laboratory, a veterinary clinic, an animal farm and a zoo. It is his job to nurture the pets that are housed within the premises of the facility.


Eligibility/Admission requirements

To become an animal technician you need to have an academic background in the sciences.

Though there are no set entry requirements but fundamental qualifications in subjects like English, Maths and Science are generally expected. Bachelors in Life Sciences, like Zoology, Biology, Genetics and other related fields is a good launch pad for this career option. If you want to work specifically for veterinarians, you will need to have a four-year Veterinary Technologist Degree.

In the US, animal technicians earn their grades through the three courses offered by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS). These are:

• Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT), which is the primary level of certification
• Laboratory Animal Technician (LAT), which is a notch higher
• Laboratory Animal Technologists (LATG) certification, the most advanced level certificate course

In the UK a prospective student can earn National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) levels 2 and 3 in Animal Technology. The Institute of Animal Technology (IAT) offers certificate, diploma and degree courses for those interested in this field.

Remuneration

While figures vary, depending on the employer, job location, experience, training and education levels, the average salary levels in the US are as follows:
• Entry-level animal technician- $25,000 a year,
• Experienced and qualified animal technician- $30,000 to $40,000 a year.
• Senior technologists and science technical officers- up to $60,000 a year.

In India, an animal caretaker working in a centralised organization may earn anywhere between Rs.7000 to Rs.40,000. In private organizations, salaries are considerably higher.