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In part one of Kyle's story, we heard how he found his way to studying his Certificate in Animal Care with Open Colleges, and how flexible, self-directed study has worked for him. In part two, we follow Kyle beyond the classroom - into work placement, volunteering, and life at home with his own animals.
Hands-On Experience: Work Placement
Some of Kyle's most memorable moments have come during work placement. One standout: catching and handling a juvenile lace monitor, a task he compares to safely catching a young crocodile.
"He tried to get away, but I got him in the end, put him in a tub, and then we cleaned out his enclosure - made sure there was no faeces or urine, that sort of thing," Kyle recalls. The experience was a revelation. "Putting that into practice really opened my eyes to the fact that you could do the same thing with mammals - just transfer it over. That's wonderful to see and watch."
He also picked up practical skills like using F10, a bacterial disinfectant widely used in animal care to prevent infection and contamination.
Volunteering at Animals Anonymous
Since he was about 21, Kyle has volunteered at Animals Anonymous, an experience that's been central to his hands-on learning.
His work there has spanned an impressive range of species: bearded dragons used in enrichment activities, a lace monitor he raised from a baby and affectionately nicknamed Lint, an injured magpie that wandered onto the property, and a snake named Sylvie, whose scales he learned to clean.
He's also worked with mammals: carrying a joey named Billy into a newly built koala enclosure (shared with residents Astro and Luna), and giving a wallaby a full health check, including checking capillary refill time and gum colour to assess circulation and oxygenation.
"If the gums were pink, that means they're healthy," Kyle explains. "An abnormal colour, like blue, means a lack of oxygen, or yellow can indicate jaundice. Thankfully, she was pretty healthy."
What He's Learned About Himself
Beyond the technical skills, the course has shifted how Kyle sees his own potential.
"I've learned that I'm actually quite capable," he says, "and would maybe further my education once I've finished this course."
The course has also shaped his future goals, including a bucket-list visit to the Australian Reptile Park, home to Australia's antivenom program. Since the program's development in 1981, there have been no reported deaths from the snakebites it treats, a fact that's stuck with Kyle and fuelled his interest in one day being involved.
Advice for Future Students
Kyle's advice to anyone considering the course is grounded and encouraging: don't put too much pressure on yourself.
"It's okay if you don't get 100% the first time," he says. "If you need to reach out to your teacher for help understanding the format of the course, or some of the exam questions, just give it your best." He notes that the course gets noticeably easier once you find your rhythm - "twice as easy, thrice as easy" - and his top tip is simple: trust your instincts.
To anyone on the fence about studying animal care, his message is direct: "Don't be afraid. There's always a path to success, even if you have a couple of minor hiccups along the way. At least you're on the right path to do what you love."
Looking Ahead
For now, Kyle's goals are clear: keep volunteering, and pick up a musical instrument - a pursuit he says is unrelated to the course, but good for his mental health all the same.
Life at Home: Kyle's Own Animals
Kyle's connection to animals extends well beyond the classroom and volunteering. At home, he shares his life with a small menagerie of his own.
There's Paquita, his French bulldog, named after the ballet. Kyle potty-trained her himself as a puppy. There's also Jasmine, a Bengal cat named after Princess Jasmine, who joined the family instead of a second dog. And there's Tango, a central bearded dragon who came into Kyle's life around four years ago.
Tango has a special place in Kyle's story. Kyle's family found him at Reptile City, where he was originally intended as a breeding backup, but they brought him home instead, not long after the passing of their previous bearded dragon, Lucy.
"I felt lonely for the longest time without a bearded dragon," Kyle says. "When we got Tango, I felt like that itch was cured."
Kyle describes Tango as strong, active, and unusually food-adventurous - the only bearded dragon he's encountered who will eat frozen mice. He enjoys taking Tango outside into the sunlight, walking him around the yard and along garden steps, and says the two have developed a close, trusting bond.
"He's very self-controlled," Kyle says. "He's responsive to me for the most part. My mum holds him, but he responds better to me."
For Kyle, that bond is really the heart of everything: a genuine, deeply felt connection with animals that first took root in childhood, and that his studies in animal care are now helping him turn into a future career.
Inspired by Kyle's Story?
If you share Kyle's passion for animals and are looking for a flexible way to turn that passion into a career, our Animal Care course could be your first step. Study online, at your own pace, with the support of experienced trainers every step of the way.
[Explore our Animal Care course today →]
