Grooming Apprentice Jobs Near Me

At Canine Companions, we’re dedicated to making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. As an employee, you’ll help provide independence to individuals, while also giving a dog a meaningful job. Our commitment to our mission is reflected in our equally strong dedication to our employees. 

Our Employee Benefits 

We believe in offering a comprehensive benefits package to ensure the well-being and growth of our team: 

• Employer-Paid Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision benefits for staff 
• Paid Time Off: 14 paid holidays annually, including an Inclusion Holiday, plus 17 paid days off (PTO) during your first year 
• Retirement Savings: Employer-matched 403(b) retirement plan 
• Community Engagement: Additional paid hours to volunteer within your community 
• Employee Assistance & Wellness Programs: Support for both professional and personal well-being 
• Inclusion and Diversity Committee dedicated to ongoing efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace by setting actionable goals and evaluating progress  

Employee Testimonial
 “The organization really lives out the core values in daily actions and decision making.  I enjoy coming to work as I know that my day will be filled with integrity as the organization does what is right, guided by honesty, accountability and sincerity.”
— Canine Early Care Team Member

The Instructor Assistant program lays the foundation of knowledge, for those interested in becoming a service dog trainer with Canine Companions.  As an Instructor Assistant, you will be an integral member of our team while shadowing all departments, learning about our highly trained assistance dogs. 

A typical day as an Instructor Assistant may include:

• Shadowing team members from various departments including: training staff, puppy program, client services, marketing and development
• Educational learning opportunities on topics such as canine health, and disability etiquette
• Maintaining and cleaning kennels, play yards, bathing rooms, and other kennel facilities
• Administering medications and treatments to dogs in the training kennels
• Assisting in the maintenance of canine health care and well-being: feeding, monitoring weights, monitoring group exercise, grooming and bathing, performing physical examinations, taking dogs to scheduled health appointments, walking dogs recovering from surgery and assisting in canine emergency care
• Developing public speaking skills, by representing Canine Companions during campus tours and external events

EXPECTATIONS:

To be successful in this position:

• Must Haves:
  • Education: High school graduate or equivalent.
  • License: Current driver’s license and insurability at normal risk rates.
• Nice to Haves:
  • Experience: Prior dog handling, training and dog health care experience preferred but not required.

Physical Requirements:

• Employee is regularly required to work outdoors and indoors performing cleaning, maintenance and canine health care duties that include regular and/or repeated walking, standing, bending, stooping and kneeling with exposure to cleaning chemicals and high temperature steam cleaning apparatus.
• Frequently required to stand, walk, and reach and pull with hands and arms; lift and/or move up to 45 pounds.

Schedule: 

• Full time, 7am-4pm.  May include weekends and holidays

Compensation

• Salary $ 19.25 per hour.
• Exciting opportunity for growth: This position is the first step in a well-defined career path designed to support your development and success. Employees become eligible for pay increases as they progress, with the first raise awarded upon promotion from Instructor Assistant to Apprentice I—generally at 6 months, based on individual performance.
• For internal candidates, compensation will be set within the posted wage range for the role, in consideration of internal equity and the scope of the position. 

The base salary above represents the range for this position. Actual salaries will vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to location, experience, and performance. The range listed is just one component of total compensation package for employees.

We recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and excellence. Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions. Please let us know if you require accommodations during the interview process.

Pursuant to local Fair Chance Ordinances, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.