If you’ve ever dreamed of working with animals and making a real difference in their lives, the Lantra Diploma in Veterinary Care and Animal Welfare at SCQF Level 5 might be exactly what you’re looking for.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to formalise your experience, this nationally recognised qualification offers a practical, flexible and inspiring route into the world of veterinary support.

This diploma is designed for those who want to work in a supportive role within veterinary care or animal welfare settings. With 65 SCQF credit points, it blends academic learning with hands-on experience, giving you the skills and confidence to thrive in the animal care sector, under the guidance of qualified and experienced professionals.

A career in helping animals

Developed in consultation with experienced industry experts and credit rated by SQA Accreditation, the qualification reflects current standards and expectations. It’s a strong foundation for a fulfilling career helping animals and supporting the people who care for them.

You can choose to focus on small animals or equine, and select between two vocational pathways:

  • Veterinary Care Support
  • Operational/Reception Duties

This means your learning can evolve with your interests or adapt to the opportunities available during your placement.

Gain valuable experience with animals

The programme combines classroom-based theory with practical tasks and work placements. You’ll spend time in a veterinary practice or animal care setting, gaining valuable experience that boosts your employability and deepens your understanding of animal care protocols.

Assessment is portfolio-based, so you’ll build a body of evidence through videos, documents, presentations and practical demonstrations. There’s also an online multiple-choice exam to round things off, with on-demand resit options available if needed.

Career routes

Those who achieve the Lantra Diploma at SCQF Level 5 are well-prepared for roles such as:

  • Veterinary care assistant
  • Animal welfare assistant
  • Stable hand/assistant
  • Kennel or cattery assistant
  • Pet retail assistant
  • Veterinary receptionist

And if you’re thinking long-term, this diploma can also lead to further training – like progressing onto the Lantra SCQF Level 7 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing.

Whether you’re an animal lover ready to turn your passion into a profession or someone seeking a career change with purpose, this diploma is a brilliant place to begin.

For more information on the qualification, visit Lantra’s website.

To see how this Diploma compares to other qualifications in Scotland, visit our interactive framework.

Glossary Term

Authority

Appears at Level 12 only where it is used in the phrase ‘demonstrate substantial authority’, reflecting a recognised high level and depth of expertise/expert knowledge and understanding, along with confidence. It does not mean ‘exercise authority over staff and resources’ etc, as that could clearly apply at earlier levels.

Glossary Term

Exercise

Used in connection with management and/or supervisory responsibility, denotes a requirement of a formal, substantive role.

Glossary Term

Directive

Applied to ‘supervision’, signifies a task or activity that is guided.

Glossary Term

Graphical Data

Encompasses maps, plans, diagrams, tables and graphs.

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Synthesis

Combine discrete elements into a coherent whole.

Glossary Term

Analysis

Examine in detail with a view to explanation and interpretation.

Glossary Term

Present

Set out, put forward, deliver information using a variety of mediums as appropriate.

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Hypothetical

Supposed, assumed for the sake of argument.

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Straightforward

Clear and uncomplicated activity, but not as demanding or systematic and therefore not as advanced as ‘routine’.

Glossary Term

Creativity

Often used in combination with ‘originality’. There is overlap in definition, but the defining characteristic of creativity appears to be imagination.

Glossary Term

Originality

Often used in combination with ‘creativity’. There is overlap in definition, but the defining characteristic of originality appears to be independence.

Glossary Term

Professional

Used throughout as an adjective and applied to terms including level, skills, techniques, practices, contexts, and issues where it bears broad interpretation as ‘behaving appropriately/doing things properly and well and to notions of accepted, (including externally) prescribed standards’, as well as narrow, relating to a specific occupation designated as a profession. In this latter sense, the term applies in all contexts including academic study, eg footnoting properly.

Glossary Term

Unfamiliar

New territory for an activity.

Glossary Term

Routine

Used as an adjective throughout and applied to terms including skills, tasks, elements, practices, contexts, methods and problems where it describes activity that is standard, usual, unvarying, customary, common.

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Everyday

Slightly more advanced and beyond personal but a known experience/activity encountered/applied regularly - less advanced than ‘familiar’.

Glossary Term

Familiar

Often encountered or experienced; common; something one has a good knowledge of - more advanced than ‘personal’ and ‘everyday’, not as advanced as ‘routine’.

Glossary Term

Personal

An experience relating only or primarily to the person – one would expect to start here then widen out into the rest of the world, so not as advanced as ‘familiar’.

Glossary Term

Critical

Fully informed, capable of supporting in-depth analysis and assessment.

Glossary Term

Discerning

Using judgement to recognise differences but not fully equipped/informed to analyse and discuss them in depth, so less advanced than critical.

Glossary Term

Awareness

Consciousness, including a background consciousness. Can be a starting point for further exploration.

Glossary Term

Appreciation

A sense, perception, a hold, fix or grasp of one or more of the various aspects of a subject/discipline/sector.

Glossary Term

Understanding

A thorough and firm grasp of a subject/discipline/sector or an element or elements of it, derived from education/study, experience and reasoning in appropriate combination. Can be defined as ‘know why’, as opposed to ‘know that’. More holistic knowledge of processes and contexts, so more advanced than appreciation and knowledge.

Glossary Term

Simple

Undemanding activity not necessarily part of a formal structure - not as advanced as ‘basic’.

Glossary Term

Knowledge

Facts, ideas, theories and concepts in a subject/discipline/sector acquired through experience and/or education – a surer grasp than appreciation so more advanced.

Glossary Term

Basic

Activity is early stepping stone on a structure or framework that can be built upon – more advanced than ‘simple’.