Over half a million pounds is being invested in the Animal Welfare facilities at Solihull College & University Centre ahead of the launch of a new T-Level in Animal Care and Management.

T-Levels are new two-year courses for school leavers that have been developed in collaboration with leading employers so that the content meets the needs of industry. T-Levels combine classroom learning and a 45-day industry placement. The T-Level in Animal Care and Management is due to start in September 2024. 

The funding, secured as a Building and Facilities Improvement Grant from the T-Levels Capital Fund, will be match funded by the College to reach the £600k total.

With UK dog ownership increasing, this investment will focus on building state-of-the-art dog grooming and handling areas featuring new equipment such as hydro baths, plus a new training and exercise area.

There are over ten million pet pooches in the UK and with 27% of UK adults currently owning a dog, the associated market is booming. Professional dog grooming is increasingly becoming a skill which is in incredibly high demand, as are many industries based around animal ownership.

Head of School for Animal Welfare & Veterinary Nursing, Claire Powell, comments: “The new facilities will continue to ensure the College is ahead of the game when it comes to animal welfare teaching and learning. This new T-Level will ensure our students are extremely well prepared when it comes to going out into the workplace.”

The College already boasts an enviable Animal Welfare Centre at Blossomfield Campus, featuring aquatics, reptiles, sheep, donkeys, meerkats, birds and more. The College offers animal welfare and veterinary nursing courses at a range of levels right up to degree, with students enrolling from all over the West Midlands and further afield.