Making zoo careers more accessible through virtual work experience

Find out more about zoo careers and take your first step into the world of modern zookeeping with Katriona Elbourne, Zoological Professional Development Manager at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

For many aspiring zookeepers, the greatest barrier is not passion or motivation, but gaining access to the profession.

Work experience has traditionally provided that access and been the main way of exploring careers in zoos. It allows people to understand what the job involves, demonstrate commitment and decide whether it is right for them. However, access to work experience isn’t always straightforward. Opportunities can be limited by location, travel costs, school or family commitments, accessibility needs, or simply the number of placements available.

To address these barriers, we developed Becoming a Zookeeper: A Virtual Work Experience, a free online course developed by ZSL and hosted on FutureLearn.

Why virtual work experience?

Every year, zoos receive countless enquiries from people interested in working with animals. Many imagine a career centred on feeding and caring for incredible species, but modern zookeeping extends far beyond these responsibilities. Zookeepers contribute to welfare, conservation, education and research, drawing on practical skills, resilience, professionalism, communication and commitment.

For people unable to secure a traditional work experience placement, this lack of access can prevent them from discovering the realities of the profession and deciding whether it’s right for them.

We wanted to create something different: an authentic work experience opportunity that anyone interested in zoo careers could access from anywhere. By creating accessible entry points into the profession, we can help ensure the future zoo and conservation workforce benefits from a wider range of skills, perspectives and experiences.

Demonstrating the realities of zookeeping 

When developing ‘Becoming a Zookeeper’, our aim was not simply to showcase animals or the zoo. We wanted to provide an insight into the profession itself.

Rather than simply describing the role, we wanted learners to hear directly from the people who do the job every day. The course features zookeepers, animal managers and other zoo professionals sharing their experiences, career journeys, challenges and advice. Through video content, interactive activities and reflective tasks, learners explore what a typical day might involve while developing a deeper understanding of the skills, knowledge and professional behaviours required for the role. 

Importantly, the course also highlights the realities of the role. Working in a zoo can be physically demanding, involve unsociable hours, require working in all weather conditions, and carry significant responsibility for animal welfare. By presenting an honest picture of the profession, learners can make more informed decisions about their future.

Developing the course

When designing the course, we began with a simple question: what do we want aspiring zookeepers to know about the profession?

To answer this question, we worked closely with animal care teams across ZSL to identify the career stories, varied routes into the sector and range of skills that learners needed to encounter. We then developed activities based on workplace experiences and real-life planning exercises to demonstrate the depth of modern zoo work.

Accessibility shaped how the course was delivered. Online participation allows learners to engage at a time and pace that suits them, offering a meaningful opportunity to learn when a traditional placement may not be possible. Virtual work experience cannot replace time spent working alongside animals and professionals, but it can provide an important first step for those considering a future in the sector.

Why you should take the course

The course is designed for anyone interested in zoo careers, whether they’re exploring options for the future or simply curious about what happens behind the scenes at a modern zoo.

Participants of the course gain:

• a realistic understanding of the zookeeper role;
• insights from experienced zoo professionals;
• an overview of potential career pathways;
• greater awareness of the skills required in animal care.

For many learners, the most valuable outcome is confidence, either to pursue zookeeping with a clearer understanding of what it requires, or to choose a different path that suits them better. 

Looking to the future

As a conservation charity, ZSL is committed to inspiring and supporting the next generation of wildlife professionals. Creating accessible routes into zoo and conservation careers is an important part of that mission.

Although virtual learning cannot replace practical work experience, ‘Becoming a Zookeeper’ shows how it can provide an accessible first step into one of the conservation sector’s most rewarding and challenging careers. More importantly, we hope that interest, enthusiasm and potential, rather than circumstance or location, can determine who gets the opportunity to explore a future in zoo and wildlife careers.

ZSL is an international science-driven conservation charity, working to restore wildlife in the UK and around the world. Katriona Elbourne is the Zoological Professional Development Manager at ZSL.