Choose an RTO
51 providers can deliver ACM20121. Availability, fees and start dates are set by each provider.
About this qualification
ACM20121 is the entry qualification for animal care work. The register names the workplaces precisely: “animal shelters, boarding/day care facilities, sanctuaries and veterinary clinics”, with activities that are “routine, performed under supervision and within clearly defined guidelines”.
Twelve units, seven core: working in the animal care industry, animal care hygiene routines, feeding and watering animals, assisting in health care of animals, environmentally sustainable work practices, workplace health and safety, and applying communication skills.
That core is unglamorous on purpose. Hygiene routines and feeding are the substance of the job, and the qualification does not dress it up.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to the qualification itself — though individual workplaces, particularly veterinary clinics, will have their own requirements.
Roles it maps to
Workplaces named on the national register for ACM20121.
Where it sits
The animal care line, from first job to veterinary nursing.
- Certificate IACM10121 Animal Care Industry Pathways
- Certificate II · you are hereACM20121 Animal Care
- Certificate IIIACM30122 Animal Care Services
- Certificate IVACM40418 Veterinary Nursing
What it covers
Twelve units in total: seven core plus five electives, chosen so they maintain the integrity of the AQF alignment and contribute to a valid, industry-supported vocational outcome.
The 7 core units, required by everyone:
- ACMGEN201 Work in the animal care industry
- ACMGEN202 Complete animal care hygiene routines
- ACMGEN203 Feed and water animals
- ACMGEN204 Assist in health care of animals
- ACMSUS201 Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices
- ACMWHS201 Participate in workplace health and safety processes
- BSBCMM211 Apply communication skills
For a full list of elective units, visit training.gov.au →
Frequently asked questions
- Does this qualify me as a vet nurse?
- No. Veterinary nursing has its own qualification at Certificate IV level. ACM20121 is entry-level animal care — attendant and assistant roles under supervision.
- Where can I work with it?
- The register names animal shelters, boarding and day care facilities, sanctuaries and veterinary clinics. Work is routine and supervised within clearly defined guidelines.
- Are there licensing requirements?
- None apply to the qualification itself, according to the register. Individual workplaces may have their own requirements, particularly veterinary clinics.
- Are there entry requirements?
- No. The register records none for ACM20121.
- What does it cost and how long does it take?
- Both are set by each provider and are not published on the national register. With fifty-six providers, availability may matter more than price.
Other registered providers
Filtered by where each provider is based, not where they can deliver.
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NSW
TAFE NSWRTO 90003
Deliver and assess · National -
QLD
TAFE QueenslandRTO 0275
Deliver and assess · QLD -
WA
South Metropolitan TAFERTO 52787
Deliver and assess · WA -
QLD
Halo Nation TrainingRTO 32485
Deliver and assess · National -
NSW
Open CollegesRTO 90796
Deliver and assess · National -
VIC
WISE Employment LtdRTO 6653
Deliver and assess · National -
QLD
SKILLS GENERATION PTY LTDRTO 41008
Deliver and assess · National -
TAS
Guilford Young CollegeRTO 1129
Deliver and assess · TAS -
VIC
Melbourne City Institute of EducationRTO 22172
Deliver and assess · National -
QLD
Fraser Coast TESSRTO 1826
Deliver and assess · QLD -
VIC
CIRE ServicesRTO 4150
Deliver and assess · VIC -
VIC
Velisha Education Group Pty Ltd trustee for Velisha Education Group Unit TrustRTO 45732
Deliver and assess · National -
Find more providers
12 of 51 providers shown — search the register for the rest
training.gov.au →
More in Animal Care
Other qualifications in the ACM training package, nearest level first.
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