Table 1Transition record

zoo educatortozookeeper

A zoo educator already meets 20% of what the zookeeper role asks for. The move turns on 22 required skills not yet in the profile.

From zoo educator

20%

Overlap1

To zookeeper

7 Skills carried over

22 Required, not held

81.8 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 81.8

This move: 81.8 of 100 · career change

1 Share of the zookeeper role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the zoo educator profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 7 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A zookeeper role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a zoo educator background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held animal evolution arts and humanities
already held educate people about nature communication, collaboration and creativity
already held train livestock and captive animals handling and moving
already held applied zoology natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
already held provide nutrition to animals handling and moving
already held control animal movement handling and moving

All 7 carried skills, including the 5 the zookeeper role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 26 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 handling and moving 11 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held administer drugs to facilitate breeding required
required, not held administer treatment to animals required
required, not held apply animal hygiene practices required
required, not held assess animal behaviour required
required, not held assist in general veterinary medical procedures required
required, not held assist in transportation of animals required
required, not held breed reptiles required
required, not held care for juvenile animals required
required, not held maintain animal accommodation hygienic required
required, not held provide an enriching environment for animals required
required, not held provide first aid to animals required

optional, not held design training programmes for animals optional
optional, not held groom animals optional

02 information skills 5 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held assess animal nutrition required
required, not held assess environment of animals required
required, not held assess management of animals required
required, not held manage animal biosecurity required
required, not held maintain professional records required

optional, not held conduct ecological research optional

03 agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary 3 required

required, not held signs of animal illness required
required, not held animal nutrition required
required, not held animal welfare required

04 assisting and caring 2 required

required, not held follow zoo safety precautions required
required, not held promote animal welfare required

05 working with machinery and specialised equipment 1 required

required, not held maintain equipment required

06 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 supplementary

optional, not held speak about your work in public optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a zookeeper role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 7 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held animal evolution knowledge
already held applied zoology knowledge
already held control animal movement skill
already held monitor the welfare of animals skill
already held provide nutrition to animals skill
already held educate people about nature skill
already held train livestock and captive animals skill

4 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held design training programmes for animals optional
optional, not held groom animals optional
optional, not held conduct ecological research optional
optional, not held speak about your work in public optional

25 held skills the zookeeper role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role animal training knowledge
not needed by the target role apply teaching strategies skill
not needed by the target role brief volunteers skill
not needed by the target role build community relations skill
not needed by the target role communicate with target community skill
not needed by the target role conduct educational activities skill
not needed by the target role coordinate educational programmes skill
not needed by the target role coordinate events skill
not needed by the target role develop craft activities skill
not needed by the target role develop educational resources skill
not needed by the target role ecology knowledge
not needed by the target role ensure cross-department cooperation skill
not needed by the target role establish educational network skill
not needed by the target role fix meetings skill
not needed by the target role integrate community outreach skill
not needed by the target role integrate content into output media skill
not needed by the target role lead a team skill
not needed by the target role manage a team skill
not needed by the target role manage budgets skill
not needed by the target role manage volunteers skill
not needed by the target role speak different languages skill
not needed by the target role study topics skill
not needed by the target role supervise craft activities skill
not needed by the target role use learning strategies skill
not needed by the target role zoo community knowledge

3 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held signs of animal illness required
required, not held animal nutrition required
required, not held animal welfare required

Index

Other moves recorded from zoo educator

Full index of moves from zoo educator

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.