APBC Assessment

Before applying for Full membership, practitioners must have their practical skills assessed against the Performance Criteria detailed in the ABTC Standards.  If you have already been assessed by another ABTC organisation you can apply directly for APBC Full membership.  This will entail an interview before the APBC can accept you as a Full Member. 

Why be assessed by the APBC?

If you are looking to have your Practical skills assessed for either the Animal Behaviour Technician (ABT) or Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CAB) role, the APBC offers a supportive framework for assessment to help guide practitioners through this process towards full membership.

The aim of the assessment process is to help ensure you are ready to become a full member and not to throw hurdles at you. Our process focuses on;
Support – The ability to have continued, supportive conversations and to get clear on what is required from your case record submission.
Objectivity – All applicants are informed who their assessors are in advance and how they are qualified to assess.
Fairness – Processes are in place to allow for a change of assessor if required.
Timely Feedback – Feedback is given in the form of constructive written feedback and also multiple opportunities for face-to-face (virtual) discussion/conversation.  This allows all applicants to action any changes required to achieve full membership.
Transparency – We will provide access to documents outlining details of the process and are here to answer any questions you may have.  We will keep you informed at all times throughout the process and let you know when documents and information are to be released. 

One of our members has kindly shared their experience of the assessment process.  Learn more about their journey and what was involved.

How Much Will The Assessment Cost?

The total cost for assessment is £740 for APBC members, and £840 for members of other organisations (please see below for a full breakdown of these costs).  You may pay the whole amount at once, or in three instalments.  You will be invoiced by the APBC office once your application has been accepted. 

How Do I Register For Assessment?

The APBC offers three ‘windows’ for assessment throughout the year allowing our Assessment Team to ensure all applicants are given adequate support and timely feedback.  We ask that you register interest in applying at least 2 months in advance of assessment to allow time for evidence to be submitted and appropriate allocation of assessors for each application window. 

Please click on one of the links below for further information regarding our assessment process for both the Animal Behaviour Technician (ABT) and Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CAB) roles.  Unsure which role is right for you?  Please visit our Behaviourist roles page for further information.

To register interest in applying please email info@apbc.org.uk letting us know in which application window you would like to be assessed. 

What if my Application is Unsuccessful?

We are very proud to say that we have a high success rate for our assessments and we can attribute this partly to the supportive nature of the process.  However, the assessment process is also rigorous and, in some cases, we may require an applicant to submit further materials to ensure the Performance Criteria have been fully met. Please note, additional costs apply for re-submission (see below).

On occasion an applicant may be deemed not ready for Full membership.  In this instance you will be provided with constructive feedback related to your application and given guidance on any areas that require further development.  You will be encouraged to put our recommendations into practice and submit another application when ready.  Please note, full (unsubsidised) assessment costs will apply where a full re-application is required (see below).