Apprenticeship - Veterinary/Lab Animal Tech (Alternate Title: Animal Care Specialist) | Montana Department of Labor and Industry

Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

Attain professional certification or licensing in veterinary and laboratory animal technology
Complete on-the-job learning in veterinary and laboratory animal technology
Complete related college-level coursework in veterinary and laboratory animal technology

Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

Occupations matched to this program, with median wage, top wage, growth, and openings
SOC	Occupation	Method	Wage	Growth	Openings
Match confidence: medium39-2021.00	Animal Caretakers	title_inference	—	—	—

Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Mastery: developing (Level 2)(based on Apprenticeship)

Daily feeding and watering rounds — manage independently across multiple animal enclosures in a boarding, shelter, or zoo setting.
Sick or injured animals — assess observed symptoms and administer basic first-aid treatments or contact veterinary staff with a clear situation report.
Animal behavior and physical condition — monitor routinely during shifts and identify deviations from normal baselines without prompting.
Medicated food supplements and prescribed liquid formulas — prepare accurately for multiple species using facility instructions and prior experience.
Animal health records including treatments, medications, and weight trends — update and maintain using facility database or spreadsheet software.
Enclosure sanitation and laundry cycles — coordinate and complete on schedule, adapting workflow when animal populations fluctuate.
Patron and client questions about animal care, breeding habits, and facility programs — address confidently using working knowledge of species under care.
Supervised exercise and enrichment sessions — design and lead for individual animals based on species needs and veterinary guidance.
Calendar and scheduling software — use to track feeding, medication, and exercise appointments across a daily or weekly roster.
Coordination with team members during shift transitions — communicate animal status updates clearly to ensure continuity of care.

Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.