If you’re interested in working with animals and would like to be part of a veterinary team, becoming a Veterinary Care Assistant (VCA) could be a career path to consider.
Veterinary Care Assistants – also known as a Patient Care Assistants (PCA) or Animal Nursing Assistants (ANA) – support veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and other members of the practice team, helping with the care of animals and the day-to-day running of a veterinary environment.
But how do you get started? We’re looking at some of the steps you can take towards becoming a VCA.
1. Find out whether the VCA role is right for you
Before looking at training, it’s useful to understand what working as a VCA involves.
Although working with animals is a key part of the role, VCA responsibilities can also include cleaning and preparing animal accommodation, maintaining clinical areas and equipment, preparing theatre areas, helping with reception duties and supporting record keeping.
Veterinary practices can be busy environments, and VCAs may work with animals that are unwell, frightened or uncomfortable. Being comfortable with the practical realities of the role is therefore important.
Discover if a career as a VCA is right for you.
2. Look for opportunities to gain experience and employment in a veterinary practice
Getting experience and/or employment in a veterinary practice can give you a better understanding of the profession and help you decide whether it is the right environment for you.
When looking for opportunities, consider contacting veterinary practices to ask whether they have any work experience, volunteering or VCA vacancies available. Depending on the training route you choose, gaining a position within a veterinary practice may also be necessary before you can begin a veterinary care qualification.
Find out how to gain work experience or employment in a veterinary practice.
3. Study a veterinary care qualification
Once you have secured a position in a veterinary practice, completing a veterinary care qualification can help you develop the skills and experience needed to build a successful career in veterinary care. They are often studied alongside work or volunteering in a veterinary practice.
At The College of Animal Welfare, options include:
- City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistants
- VetSkill Level 2 Certificate in Veterinary Care Support
- Veterinary Care Support: Level 2 Apprenticeship
All of our VCA training routes combine learning with practical experience in a veterinary environment, allowing you to develop relevant knowledge and skills while putting what you learn into practice.
4. Develop your practical and professional skills
Training to become a VCA isn’t only about developing animal care knowledge. Working successfully within a veterinary practice requires a range of practical and professional skills.
These can include:
- Animal handling and husbandry skills
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Organisation and time management
- Attention to detail
- Good observational skills
- An understanding of hygiene and infection control
- The ability to follow instructions
- Confidence working in a busy environment
Experience in practice provides an opportunity to develop these skills and become familiar with working as part of a veterinary team.
5. Develop your VCA career
Once you’ve secured a position as a VCA and have some experience under your belt, you can continue building your skills and experience. There may be opportunities to take on additional responsibilities or undertake further training as your career develops. The experience you gain can also help you understand the different roles available within veterinary practice and decide where you would like your career to take you.
Read more about career progression for Veterinary Care Assistants (VCAs).
Ready to take your first step to becoming a Veterinary Care Assistant (VCA)?
A career as a Veterinary Care Assistant can be incredibly rewarding. If you enjoy working with animals, thrive in a hands-on environment, and want to be part of a team that makes a real difference, it could be a path worth exploring.
If this career path feels like a good fit, the next step is finding a way to build your knowledge and skills. For many aspiring VCAs, structured training provides a clear starting point. It introduces you to key areas like animal handling and basic clinical practices – whilst also giving you the opportunity to gain practical experience in a veterinary practice.
Veterinary Care Qualifications at The College of Animal Welfare
Our veterinary care qualifications can help you develop the skills and experience needed to build a successful career in veterinary care. They can be studied alongside work or volunteering in a veterinary practice, and they can also be a great stepping stone into veterinary nurse training in the future if you wish to do so.
Key facts
- Get qualified in as little as 12-18 months
- Part time or full-time study options
- No college attendance required
- Start at any time and study from anywhere
- No formal academic entry requirements
- Employment, or a voluntary placement, in a veterinary practice is required prior to application. If you are not currently employed or volunteering in a veterinary practice, read our tips and advice here.
- Apprenticeship option available
- Learn about animal health and welfare, animal accommodation, animal anatomy and physiology, animal handling and much more
- Our Loans2Learn scheme can help you spread the cost of learning into smaller monthly payments.
Find out more about our veterinary care qualifications here.