School work experience
Where futures in wildlife care begin
Step into the world of zoo keeping, animal care and wildlife conservation through Taronga’s immersive work experience program. Students in Years 10–12 can spend a week alongside expert keepers and conservation teams at either Taronga Zoo Sydney or Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo, each offering a unique taster of the animal care industry.
Where futures in wildlife care begin
Step into the world of zoo keeping, animal care and wildlife conservation through Taronga’s immersive work experience program. Students in Years 10–12 can spend a week alongside expert keepers and conservation teams at either Taronga Zoo Sydney or Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo, each offering a unique taster of the animal care industry.
What to expect from work experience at the Zoo
During your week at the Zoo, you'll get to experience lots of hands-on tasks including:
Work experience at Taronga Zoo Sydney
Applications for the 2027 School Work Experience program are open.
Please read the following information carefully. You will find the Student Placement Record application form, Microsoft Form and Avian (Bird) Exposure Declaration Form below. All of these must be completed for the applicant to be considered. One student application per school.When completing your application, please rank the following animal divisions in order of preference (1-7, with 1 being your most preferred choice).
As placements are highly competitive and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, we will do our best to accommodate your preferences; however, we cannot guarantee placement in a particular division. Applications submitted earlier are more likely to be matched to both their preferred dates and animal divisions.
Possible divisions include:
Australian Mammals
• Exotic Animals (carnivores, ungulates, primates)
• Reptiles & Amphibians
• Marine (must not fear birds as spend one day with Free Flight Bird team)
• Taronga Institute of Science and Learning & Backyard to Bush Farm (wide range of Australian animals and species including birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians)
• Birds (must not fear birds)
• Taronga Wildlife Hospital (extremely limited – only offered every second week)
When selecting your date preferences please select from the following (no placements during DoE school holidays.) Also please note that if your placements falls on a public holiday or during a Staff Development Day, your placement will be 4 days.
Term 1
• First Week - Monday 1st March - Friday 5th March
• Last Week - Monday 5th April - Friday 9th April
Term 2
• First week - Monday 3rd May - Friday 7th May
• Last Week - Monday 28th June - Friday 2nd July
Term 3
• First Week - Tuesday 20th July - Friday 23rd July
• Last Week - Monday 20th September - Friday 24th September
Term 4
• First Week - Tuesday 12th October - Friday 15th October
• Last Week - Monday 22nd November - Friday 26th November
Wildlife Hospital Dates
Term 2
• Monday 17th May – Friday 21st May
• Monday 31st May – Friday 4th June
• Tuesday 15th June – Friday 18th June
• Monday 28th June – Friday 2nd July
Term 3
• Tuesday 20th July – Friday 23rd July
• Monday 2nd August – Friday 6th August
• Monday 16th August – Friday 20th August
• Monday 30th August – Friday 3rd September
• Monday 13th September – Friday 17th September
Term 4
• Tuesday 12th October – Friday 15th October
• Monday 25th October – Friday 29th October
• Monday 8th November – Friday 12th October
• Monday 22nd November – Friday 26th November
Frequently asked questions
For work experience at Taronga Zoo Sydney
Work experience at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo
Applications for work experience in 2026 are now closed.
Applications can still be submitted and students will be placed on a waitlist. Please note, a waitlisted student does not equal a placement.
Applications must be submitted by Careers Advisors or School Principals, applications submitted by students will not be accepted.
Placements are reviewed in the order they’re received, and we can only consider applications that are fully completed and signed. Work experience is very competitive, while we do our best to accommodate as many students as possible, submitting an application doesn’t guarantee a placement.
Frequently asked questions
For work experience at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo
Meet a Keeper
If Work Experience is fully booked, you may wish to book a 'Meet a Keeper' experience for your students. This is a one-day program for school students aged 14 years and over who have expressed a keen interest in pursuing a career at the Zoo. Meet Keepers, hear about their career pathways and learn about the variety of pathways to working in a zoo.
Contact us
at Taronga Zoo Sydney
Email
at Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Call:
Email
More to explore
Volunteer at Taronga
Learn about volunteering at Taronga, with opportunities to support wildlife care, conservation programs and visitor experiences across both Zoos.
Become a zookeeper
Learn how to become a zookeeper at Taronga, with pathways, training and hands-on experience to build a rewarding career in animal care and conservation.
Take action
Discover practical ways to take action and make choices that help wildlife through Taronga's Community Conservation campaigns. Discover eco-friendly ways to live and support conservation and healthy habitats.