Work Experience Placement Application
Zoo Animal Management Department
Please complete the following application form and send/emailto Louise Peat, Cotswold Wildlife Park, Burford, OXON, OX18 4JP () within the next four weeks (unless your placement starts earlier – in which case, please complete and send urgently). The completed application will allow us to assess your suitability for the placement and will also help you gain the most out of your experience with us.
Please also make sure you read the information provided underneath this form prior to your placement.
Name / Age at time of placement:Name of college/university you are attending:
Title of course you are studying:
Date of work experience required: / Duration of work experience required:
Intended career path:
Please provide information of schools attended / qualifications received:
Details of previous work experience:
Do you have any criminal convictions? / YesNo
If so, please provide details:
Do you suffer from any allergies or other conditions that may affect your ability to work with animals [hay fever, asthma etc]? / YesNo
If so, please provide details:
Are you currently taking any medication that you feel we should be aware of? / YesNo
If so, please provide details:
Do you have pets at home? / YesNo
If so, please provide details:
What particular interest(s) do you have in animals?
Have you been to CotswoldWildlifePark before? / YesNo
Why do you want to do your work experience placement at CotswoldWildlifePark?
What do you feel you will get out of your placement?
What do you think you can contribute to the animal department?
What sort of tasks do you think you will be undertaking?
Do you have a problem with handling/preparing animal feed such as carcass meat, raw whole fish or day-old chickens?
What (if any) previous experiences have you had with cleaning/handling animals?
Contact details Tel/E-mail:
Next of Kin contact details Tel:
If any of the above information changes before/during your placement (particularly with respect to allergies, medical conditions, medication) it is your duty to inform us.
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Accommodation or transport
Public transport services to CotswoldWildlifePark will not enable you to get to work on time, so please make sure you have arranged your transport or accommodation for your placement.
Guidance for your placement
Upon arrival at the zoo on your first day you should enter the zoo via the Tradesman’s entrance, please note that this is not the main entrance to the zoo but can be found about 200 metres from the main zoo entrance after pulling in off the A361. Upon entering the grounds you should make your way to the Registrars office for you health & safety induction.
The working day commences at 8:00am and ends at 5:00pm February to November or 4:30pm Decemberand January, please be advised that we expect you to arrive on time as delays can disrupt the staff routine. Meal breaks taken by zoo staff usually consist of twenty minutes in the morning, one hour for lunch and twenty minutes in the afternoon. It is advisable to bring your own food and refreshments, which may be consumed in the staff room. A wide range of food/drink is also available in the zoo’s cafeteria and coffee shop, where discounted rates are available.
Smoking is not permitted whilst at work or in the working environment or in any staff areas within the zoo.
Although mobile phones are allowed on site, you are not permitted to make or receive calls or text messages during the day except during your meal breaks, unless you have prior permission from the your Section Head.
Members of the public, zoo visitors etc, must be treated with due respect at all times.
Responsibility for animal care remains that of the animal keepers employed by the company; work experience students must always operate under their direction, failure to do so will result in termination of your placement.
If for any reason you cannot attend any days during your placement it is essential that you inform us immediately – contact either the Registrar on 01993 825722 or main office on 01993 823006, failure to do so may result in termination of your placement.
Any misconduct or disrespect during the working day or whilst staying in staff accommodation will result in immediate termination of your placement.
Dress code
Generally it is advised to wear such suitable work clothes as is generally thought sensible for such a working environment as a zoo, i.e. jeans and other hard wearing casual clothes, stout shoes or boots and/or rubber boots, jumper/sweatshirt and waterproof coat. Remember to bear in mind the variety of enclosures and environments, from warm indoor enclosures to outside weather conditions.
Extreme fashions such as facial piercing [ear, nose studs and eyebrow bars are permitted only at the managers’ discretion; nose and eyebrow rings are not permitted] and extreme make up and unnatural hair styles and/or colours are at the managers’ discretion; they constitute a health and safety risk as some animals may react aggressively towards them and also do not conform with the departmental uniform code. If in any doubt please consult the registrar before the commencement of your placement.
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Health and safety
The authority and dictates of the zoo and its staff must be accepted and obeyed and the basic safety policies followed whilst in the working environment of the zoo, this is for safety and to aid rather than disrupt the normal running of the zoo.
You will be expected to attend a health & safety induction before commencing work on your first day. A bullet point printed version of this induction is available on request. You are expected to fully adhere to any instructions given to you by staff members, any deviance from these instructions could result in your placement being terminated.
In our commitment to provide a safe working environment, the company operates a zero tolerance policy with regards to the use of illegal substances, non-prescribed drugs and/or the misuse of alcohol by its employees, contractors, volunteers and work experience students. Therefore, as a work experience student, if the Company suspects that you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs at work, you will be approached and if necessary your placement will be terminated. Please let us know if any prescribed or non-prescribed drugs that you are taking may affect your performance at work.
When working in an agricultural/animal environment it is strongly advised that inoculations against tetanus and tuberculosis have been received and that any periodic boosters are up to date. It is essential that those suffering with, recovering from, or have been in close contact with any contagious illness [measles, chicken pox, mumps, skin ailments, herpes simplex(cold sores)etc.] make this known to the zoo management. Certain animals, not having the same immune system as humans, would be at serious risk.
All cuts and abrasions must be treated and covered immediately; all accidents/near misses must be logged in the accident book and reported to a senior member of staff.
All other enquiries may be directed to the Registrar 01993 825722
During your placement you will work with animal keepers on various sections: cleaning enclosures (including surrounding visitor aspects such as glass, signs etc), cleaning service areas, preparing and implementing food and enrichment, and helping animal keepers in other duties required of them.
Please tick the box to confirm that you have read, understood and agree with the terms set out above (including our Drugs & Alcohol Policy) and that you have provided us with all the relevant information.What you put into your placement will dictate how much you get out of your placement.
Asking questions will increase your knowledge of animals and zoo work
Document version: 120808