Learning a thing or two

The National Pet College is the leading provider of education and training to pet professionals, delivering Ofqual regulated qualifications and professional training courses for pet professionals throughout the UK including dog groomers, dog walkers and dog daycare providers.

The National Pet College upskills learners to ensure that they maximise the welfare of the animals in their care in line with current research. All training is delivered by experienced, subject specialists, working alongside course partners to develop and deliver training that helps raise industry standards and promotes animal welfare.

All courses are supported by the Pet Industry Federation, the trade association for the pet sector.

Do Qualifications Matter?

The National Pet College and the Pet

Industry Federation are strong advocates for lifelong learning through quality education and training, but often hear that “experience is more important than qualifications.”

There is no doubt that a qualification will not teach you everything about a subject, and that working hard, learning from others and developing your own skill set is hugely important. However, there is also no denying the fact that regulated qualifications provide learners with a strong foundation for stepping into, and progressing within, a career as a dog groomer.

Qualifications are developed by awarding bodies like City & Guilds with the support of subject specialists. These teams work together to identify the content to be covered and the appropriate assessment methods.

Qualifications often focus on developing the knowledge associated with the job role, for example understanding disease control and biosecurity, canine anatomy and becoming familiar with a range of canine health diseases and disorders which learners may not get first-hand experience of until later in their career.

Undertaking a qualification should reassure learners and employers that a consistent and standardised assessment has taken place, something which is regularly checked by the awarding body through quality assurance visits and samples.

However, not all qualifications are created equal. Level 2 dog grooming qualifications focus on becoming familiar with the requirements of different coat types, how to bath and dry dogs correctly while ensuring the highest standards of welfare. Whereas, Level 3 qualifications should provide learners with the styling skills to produce sleek hand strips and smooth, blended, balanced finishes across a range of coat types.

When selecting a qualification, learners should also consider the Guided Learning Hours (GLH) stated for the qualification. This is the amount of time the course should take to be taught and will therefore give an indication of the number of dogs a learner will gain experience with during the course.

Courses with low GLH may only allow time for learners to gain experience with a handful of dogs, resulting in a lack of experience with dogs of different coat types, health conditions and ages, all of which may require adjustments to the grooming process. As a result, learners may be qualified but lack confidence in more complex tasks.

CPD v Qualifications

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is for those people actively involved in the industry. CPD tends to be short courses, seminars or workshops, designed to upskill learners and ensure they remain current in their knowledge and working practices. CPD courses are short, building on existing knowledge and skills.

CPD can also be used to allow individuals to fill specific skill and knowledge gaps but can also be used to upskill the whole team and ensure everyone works to the same parameters.

The National Pet College (NPC) offers a range of training options for groomers. For those starting out in their dog grooming career, the Level 2 and Level 3 City & Guilds qualifications are available through NPC-approved training centres, located around the country.

For qualified dog groomers, ongoing CPD is available through a range of NPC online courses and webinars. Topics include First Aid, Understanding Parasites and Recognising Problem Behaviours.

The Higher Diploma in Dog Grooming is also available. This learner-led course comprises of six practical exams, four theory assessments and offers learners the opportunity to join the Guild of Master Groomers once the Diploma is completed.

Groomers wishing to share their knowledge and skills can also become tutors in their own National Pet College Approved Centre. The first step to becoming an Approved Centre is to obtain a teaching qualification which can be undertaken via The National Pet College.

For those already holding a suitable teaching qualification an application and centre audit would start the process.

For further information on studying with The National Pet College or becoming a National Pet College Approved Centre, please visit www. nationalpetcollege.co.uk or email info@ nationalpetcollege.co.uk Search @nationalpetcollege on Facebook and Instagram.