Careers in Conservation (Year 9 – VCE/VCAL)
A unique opportunity for secondary students to discover the fascinating career opportunities at Zoos Victoria.
Program description
Zoos Victoria is a world-leading conservation organization where everyone plays an important role protecting wildlife. These roles are filled by passionate conservationists and include an array of career opportunities in fields such as zoo keeping, horticulture, trades/construction, conservation and research, visitor experience, retail and education.
Years 9-12 and VCAL students are invited to Melbourne Zoo for an insight into the exciting employment opportunities at Zoos Victoria. This unique experience will provide give students the chance to discover all they want to know about careers zoos, ask questions and hear from industry experts about how they got into their fields.
Students will learn:
- About the exciting employment opportunities which exist at Zoos Victoria
- About their careers by meeting Zoo employees
- How jobs at the Zoo can fulfil the role of conservation leaders in the community
Program sequence
Connect
Use the activities in the Teaching Guide (below) to spark students’ curiosity before their zoo visit
Connect and Understand
Students will discover all they want to know about careers zoos, ask questions and hear from industry experts about how they got into their fields.
Understand
Use activities in the Teaching Guide to deepen students’ learning back at school.
Act
Use the Teaching Guide to enable students to master their knowledge and skills in real-world contexts.
Program resources
Coming soon
Learning outcomes
Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL)
Foundation Unit 1:
Learning Outcome 4.3 - Interview an individual currently employed in the selected workplace and describe career opportunities, qualifications, and conditions of employment
- Prior to the event, students research employment opportunities in Zoos Victoria and learn about conditions of employment. During the visit, students will talk to an individual currently employed in their selected workplace and ask questions about career opportunities, qualifications, and conditions of employment
Learning Outcome 5.0 - Prepare an application for an employment opportunity
- Students will learn about different job opportunities at Zoos Victoria. Following this event, students may use this understanding to research employment opportunities and prepare an application for an employment opportunity at Zoos Victoria
Foundation Unit 1:
Learning Outcome 1.0 - Plan, organise and carry out a simple activity
- Students may use this event as an activity to organize as a project. This may involve making a plan for their school, booking the event and selecting appropriate resources, listing success criteria and goals, carrying out the activity and reflection.
Foundation Unit 2:
Learning Outcome 1.0 - Identify the roles of members of a community
- Students investigate what it means to be a member of a Zoos Victoria community and what rights and responsibilities zoo employees have. Students may list some of the many roles within the zoo and discuss how a member can have a positive impact on that community. They may also identify the skills and personal attributes of an effective member of the zoo community through observation or asking questions
Level 10:
- Students use this event to increase their understanding of education and training requirements for roles within a zoo. This will help to inform career decisions and may assist in the completion of their individual career action plans
Plan your excursion
Careers in Conservation is an outdoor, all-weather event; the students will need appropriate clothing for weather conditions. This could include a raincoat, hat and sun protection.
School groups will enter Melbourne Zoo via the Rail Gate entrance. Organising teachers please check in with our Admissions team upon arrival. More Information.
All onsite excursion bookings are subject to coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions and as such are subject to change in line with the Victorian Chief Health Officer’s advice. We will be in contact with all teachers prior to their booked date if we need to clarify any new requirements.