The College of Animal Welfare
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We Are CAW
Since 1989, we’ve been helping people turn their passion for animals into rewarding careers - and with over 30 years of experience under our belt, we’ve supported thousands of students to do just that!
Whether you’d like to learn at one of our training centres, get hands-on experience through an apprenticeship, or study online with one of our distance learning courses, there’s a route that will work for you.
From certificates and diplomas right through to degree-level qualifications, we offer professionally recognised options to suit every stage of your journey.
Our values and history ›Why choose us?
What our students say
Browse our courses
Discover a wide range of career-focused subjects — from veterinary nursing, dog grooming and animal care to leadership, coaching and education. Our qualifications, apprenticeships and online CPD courses support flexible learning and professional growth.
Success Stories
Congratulations to our first three Level 3 Animal Care and Welfare Manager Apprentices who all achieved a Distinction grade following their End Point Assessment recently (March 2026). This is a great achievement for all three students and for our animal care team who supported them throughout - congratulations everyone!
Congratulations to Thomas Pocock, who became our 500th VetSkill veterinary nurse apprentice to qualify in May 2025 and become a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN). This is a significant achievement not just for Thomas, but for the entire College, and we couldn’t be prouder. Thomas served with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC) during his training and said “Becoming a Registered Veterinary Nurse has been a proud moment in my military career. The skills taught throughout the apprenticeship will no doubt follow me around the world as I continue to care for military working animals’.
Congratulations to our student veterinary nurses who took the March 2025 VetSkill OSCEs (practical exams) – we are delighted to announce that all students (100%) passed! A special congratulations goes to Emma Nash and Isobel Lewis, who achieved the outstanding feat of passing all 12 OSCE stations on their very first attempt for the companion animal award. And a big congratulations too to Heather Davie for passing all 12 stations of the equine veterinary nursing OSCEs. Emma, Isobel and Heather will all receive one of the new VetSkill OSCE star awards badges.
Congratulations to Emily McGill, one of our student veterinary nurses, for her exceptional contribution to an award-winning initiative at Yorkshire Vets. Emily, as part of a team at Yorkshire Vets, won the prestigious RCVS Quality Improvement Champions Award as part of the RCVS Knowledge Awards 2024. This accolade was awarded in recognition of a remarkable initiative aimed at reducing the use of oxygen and volatile anaesthetic gases within their practice. Emily’s dedication, expertise, and commitment to quality improvement have been integral to the success of this initiative. Her work exemplifies the values we regard highly in our students: excellence, innovation, and a profound commitment to animal welfare and environmental issues.
Veterinary nurse student, Rheana Lala, was the recipient of the 2024 Laura Turnbull Bursary. She travelled to a wildlife rehabilitation centre in Australia in 2025 to gain hands-on experience and help with the rehabilitation and release of injured wildlife. The experience has inspired her to apply for another volunteer programme, and she will be heading out to South Africa later this year to help at a Rhino orphanage!
We are delighted to report that our animal care apprentices had a 99% first attempt pass rate in their End Point Assessment between January 2024 and March 2025.
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