Oata Qualifications

[jonnyf84]

Hi, i've been looking into the possibility of taking up fishkeeping as a profession for some time now. However, for someone of my age it can be difficult to get a job as a aquarist as there is always more experienced people out there.

So other than doing a diploma in fish management which is a full on 2 year uni course and is only supported by a couple of uni's nationwide, there is very little in terms of recognised qualifications which will put me in good stead for a aquarist position.

The only courses that looks good and seems to be recognised is the two part OATA exams that involves home based learning and written/telephone exams.

Has anybody got any experience with this and does anybody know if this qualification would help with my long term goals?


Many Thanks,

Jonny.

 

[Joshy]

Sounds interesting. I'll be watching this thread.

 

[rabbut]

My employer seems to value staff recomendations over bits of paper. Recomendations from the person whom last ran the fish room at my POW ultimately got me my first job there at the age of 16. Now, two and a bit years on, I'm still there and still learning everyday from collegues and customers, as well as direct expreience.

I think Madenhead would look at Qualifications though, as their recruitment office is seporate to all their shops I believe, though staff recomendations again have been known to help.

I suppose it depends on what you want to do and where in aquatics. For Aquariums and farms, paper based qualifications will likely go a long way, as they will with applications to chain stores, but the best way into private LFS's is to get known and noticed there. Network a little. Learn from them, but also show your knowlage to them. Once you are on first-name terms and felt the staff have a good insite into what you know, start asking about jobs available... Ask the staff also, not always the manager unless they pass you on. Staff often will pass on recomendations with your CV if you go through them and they think you are worth having there.

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Davo86]

All of the full-time staff where i work are sent on this course, and If you do have this qualification i'd say you would be almost guaranteed a place at one of the stores in the chain.
It is very indepth and seems to cover much more than what 90% of LFS employees would understand, I had a look at a practice paper a few months ago and some of the questions were mind boggling to me? A lot of it is on marines, which is something that we have no involvement with in our particular store,

 

[jonnyf84]

Thanks for the feed back fella's. Rabbut, i have a inckling you work at paws for thought on york road?

Maidenhead is out of the question at the mo as the closest one is york or lincoln, just too far away to travel every day.

 

[rabbut]

I'm shure I've told you at some point before?

 

[thekid88]

I work in Pets At Home and have always found them incredibly supportive about getting all staff fully qualified in any areas of animal husbandry. They recently put me through my OATA even though I'm only part time and have a totally separate job in design, for passing the course I get a payrise and can take the qualification with me into whatever job I do next. It might be a good idea to see if there are any vacancies in a store near you. You learn on the job, get to be trained up in nearly whatever area you like, get a recognised qualification AND get rewarded for it.

 

[Twinklecaz]

and you'd be someone else in a Pets at Home store that can be trusted which is always a good thing