We’re delighted to announce the launch of our highly anticipated Dog Groomer Level 2 Apprenticeship, an unmissable opportunity for budding dog groomers to join the industry, and dog groomers to expand their team.

Whether you are dreaming of becoming a dog groomer or want to expand your business and grow your very own dog groomer to work in your salon – this apprenticeship could be the perfect way to get started. 

A career as a dog groomer is interesting, fun and hugely satisfying! An apprenticeship is a perfectly suited training path towards becoming a dog groomer due to the hands on nature of the job. Qualifying via this route will give you the chance to put your skills into practice, while gaining the understanding and experience to become a knowledgeable dog groomer. As a dog grooming apprentice, you will be employed in a dog grooming environment and also earn a wage. 

Do you want to find out more about the dog grooming apprenticeship that has just landed in England? Click here to get the low-down this eagerly awaited new apprenticeship programme and apply today…

Want to find out more about a career as a dog groomer? Click here!

It’s only natural to feel a bit stressed before exams get underway.

Whilst for some going through an exam is a breeze – revision comes naturally and it is easy to stay calm – for others: sweaty palms, procrastination and nerves are all too common.

Whether you’re feeling confident about your exams, or need a bit of extra reassurance and guidance – there are practical ways you can prepare as exam time looms. Take a look at our advice to improve your productivity, manage exam stress and increase your chances of succeeding during exam season:

1. Start your revision early and prioritise your tasks

Making an early start on your revision can help you come prepared for your exams. By starting sooner rather than later, you’ll have enough time to go over the material at a steady pace. If you feel overwhelmed, remember that revision is about refreshing your knowledge of topics you’ve already learned – it’s not about learning anything new.

More than this – prioritising your time, subjects and workload will help reduce your stress levels, as you’ll be breaking down a big task into more manageable chunks. As a starting point, you could put together a simple table with the dates of each exam you have, and the topics you need to revise for each. This will give you a clear idea of how much time you need to dedicate to each exam – which can help you structure your revision plans.

2. Boost your exam time management

Getting the timings right during an exam can be tricky. Spend too long on a question, and you might run out of time at the end and leave questions unfinished. Equally, if you panic and rush through questions too quickly, you may end up finishing the exam too early and missing out key details and vital marks.

Again, this is where revision and practice can really help. Go through some mock exam questions, and be strict with yourself over timings so you don’t run over time. It might take a bit of time and more than one try, but eventually you’ll know how long you should leave yourself to answer each question, and be able to use that time to your advantage confidently.

With all this practice, by the time you reach your exam, you’ll be confident managing your time and, as a bonus, will have a good idea of what kind of questions to expect.

3. Eat, sleep and exercise well

We all know that life can get busy, and that’s before you throw revision and exam preparation into the mix! However, to help you manage exam stress, it’s crucial to look after your body and mind during this time. Exercising regularly can help to clear your head, whilst fuelling your body with a well-balanced diet will boost your energy and help stressful tasks seem more achievable. Going to bed at a reasonable time ensures your brain has sufficient time to recharge and really absorb what you’ve learnt. It is also worth cutting back on alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes during revision season, to help keep your mind focussed.

4. Recognise when you’re panicking

Having a panic is common, whether it’s before, during, or even after, your exam. If you feel like you might be panicking: take a deep breath, take a moment to acknowledge this feeling, have a sip of water, and then go back the problem at hand. Remember that every problem usually has a solution, even if you fail to pick it up at first glance.

5. Take breaks and plan things to look forward to

Studying long hours won’t necessarily get you the results you’re aiming for. Plus, overworking leaves you vulnerable to exhaustion or even burnout long before exam time arrives. You need to give your mind a chance to rest and recharge after a revision session. To this end, schedule time away from your studies to wind down and do something you find relaxing and fun. This could be as simple as going for a walk or reading a book.

Take time away from social media

To avoid any unnecessary distractions, it may be best to log out of social media for a little while. Social media can become a major source of procrastination. A quick check of your Facebook or Instagram can quickly turn into hours of swiping through your social feeds. Not only this, but it is likely that many of your classmates are in the same boat. They may be talking about how much they’re studying (or not studying) on social media, which provides an added distraction!

7. Keep up a routine

Keeping up a regular routine can help give you a sense of predictability, which can be really helpful when preparing for something like an exam, which is in many ways unpredictable. For example, going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, having regular time to rest and having dedicated times during the day for studying.

8. Believe in your abilities

When faced with a stressful challenge, we often focus too much on what could go wrong. However, by shifting the focus to what is already going right, you can help yourself to maintain composure and lift your confidence.

As you have worked hard and prepared well, there is no reason to worry about your ability to face the challenges of exam time. So, when you find yourself experiencing negative thoughts, try to replace them with positive ones by thinking back to what you’ve achieved already. For example, instead of saying “If I don’t get [this grade] on this exam, I am a failure.” You could say “Whatever I achieve, I am proud of the hard work and effort I have put in.” It’s also worth remembering that results are not the only measure of success, and they don’t define you as a person.

9. Focus on you and don’t compare yourself to others

As Theodore Roosevelt famously said, “comparison is the thief of joy”. Try not to make assumptions about how others are doing, or compare your performance to others. On the surface, it may look like others are spending more time on revision than you, or just not stressing out about their exams as much. However, we all cope with exams differently and that is ok. In reality, your friends and classmates are in exactly the same position as you. No one’s results are guaranteed – so it is likely they are feeling just as worried as you are.

10. If you feel like you are struggling, talk to someone

It’s ok to reach out for further help and support if you need it. There are so many people, organisations, and services out there to help you cope during difficult times. When struggling, talk to friends, family, or your personal tutor about how you are feeling.

Alternatively, if it’s available to you, don’t be afraid to seek professional help and support. You could consider seeing your GP or mental health professional for extra help and a referral.

Further mental health support at The College of Animal Welfare

If you’re a student or staff member with us, and you’re struggling with stress, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your teacher, head of course or line manager – they are there to help and support you.  We also offer lots of additional mental health support that you can access free of charge. To find out more visit www.caw.ac.uk/wellbeing

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Save the date because, after a successful digital debut in January, virtual Careers with Animals Day is coming back to your screens on Saturday 9th October 2021!

This free, online event is ideal for those looking for guidance about career opportunities working with animals. Hosted on Microsoft Teams, you’ll get the chance to listen to career talks from a range of key organisations in the animal care and veterinary industry, ask questions and gain advice about working with animals – all from the comfort of home. October’s event will be particularly useful if you’re interested in training and career opportunities working with animals in Northern England.

Whether you’re a school leaver working out what your next move is going to be, an adult looking for a career change, or unemployed and eager to get back to work – everyone is welcome. The event will run on Saturday 9^th October, from 9am until 4pm and entry is completely free of charge. A link to attendance will be released in the coming weeks.

If you would like to register your interest in the event visit our website or join our Facebook event page. 

If you’re a parent and interested in studying veterinary nursing with us, you may already know that due to the work-based nature of the industry, most veterinary nurse training courses require you to work and study full-time.

Juggling childcare with full time work and study can be difficult at the best of times, without throwing child sickness and childcare emergencies into the mix. So, you may be wondering: how will you find the time to work, study and look after your kids?

1. Have a childcare plan in place that works for your family and in case of emergency

Before you take on a full time veterinary nurse training course that involves full time work/study, you need to carefully consider what childcare will work best for you and your family, and ensure there is cover for when you need it.

There are lots of different childcare options open to you, such as:

• Hiring a babysitter or nanny
• Using a nursery, playgroup or before/after school club
• Hosting an au pair
• Seeking the help of friends and relatives
• Working out a rota or system with your partner, if you have one

It’s important to carefully consider what is most suited to you and your child’s needs, depending on their age and personality. For example, a regular babysitter may offer flexibility over hours. With nurseries, you get the security of having cover most of the year and your child will have the opportunity to interact with other children. You may also be eligible for free childcare hours from the government.

Whatever childcare arrangements you make, ensure it fits in with your needs. Balancing work, training and family life is hard enough without also worrying about who is looking after your child.

2. Speak to your training provider and employer about flexibility options

Many veterinary nursing courses are full time, however it is worth having a conversation with your employer and training provider to see how they can help you meet your training, work and family requirements. For example, here at The College of Animal Welfare we offer a virtual college attendance option from some of our centres, which could help with childcare arrangements. Additionally, it is worth understanding the different college attendance options available at your chosen training provider, to see if one suits your childcare arrangements more than another.

It is also worth having a conversation with your practice to see if there are accommodations they could make with your working hours to suit your childcare arrangements.

3. Plan a bullet proof routine for your mornings

The morning rush is something that many parents find stressful, and can impact your readiness for veterinary nurse training day-to-day. So, you may be thinking: how can I make the morning routine less stressful so I am ready for my day at college/work? You can help to streamline your mornings with additional preparation in the evenings. This means you and your family doing what you can to ease the workload in the evenings. For example ironing, packing non-perishable food in lunchboxes, getting dinner money ready, signing letters, choosing your next-day outfit, preparing work and study material and so on. With less to do in the morning, it may help you feel more prepared for the day ahead.

4. Share out household chores and childcare

Who does the majority of the domestic chores (such as cleaning, cooking and childcare) in your household? If that person is you, and there is more than one person in the household, can you share out this work in a fairer way so that you have more time to dedicate to your veterinary nurse training? For example, you could work out a rota. You could even give your kids some chores to do if they’re old enough. Additionally, if you have a partner, you should discuss who will cover emergency childcare to ensure it isn’t always one person taking time off or leaving early to cover emergencies.

5. Don’t expect perfection, set priorities and allow time for yourself where you can

Don’t chase perfection, as it will only lead to burnout. It is better to focus on the essentials in your family and home/study life than to collapse from total exhaustion. If you have a project that is due for work or college, set time limits for yourself. Once you complete your list of priorities, you will feel more relaxed and will have more time to spend with your family. Most important of all, make space for yourself to recharge your batteries at the end of each day – even if it’s only 15 minutes of quiet time. If you have very little time at the end of the day, could you make some time to relax at the weekend?

Remember that communication is essential in every aspect of life. It’s ok to reach out for support if you need it. If you feel that you are having difficulty juggling your commitments, talk to those around you for help and support. Your co-workers, course tutors, significant others, family and friends may be able to help.

Wellbeing at The College of Animal Welfare

At The College of Animal Welfare, we offer a range of wellbeing resources and services to our students and staff. In addition to free counselling for all students, we also provide 24/7 access to mental health support app Togetherall and many more additional wellbeing resources and information. Find out more about the support we offer at: www.caw.ac.uk/wellbeing  

Veterinary Nurse Training at The College of Animal Welfare

If you’re interested in training as a veterinary nurse, we offer a range of veterinary nurse qualifications. The College of Animal Welfare is one of the largest veterinary nurse training providers in the UK. Find out more about our veterinary nursing programmes

Further Reading

• Interested in training as veterinary nurse? Find out more here 
• Download our Veterinary Nursing Career Guide

Writing a veterinary nursing personal statement is a key opportunity for you to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment to a course, and show the admissions team what value you can add to their institution.

If you’re applying for a high-demand course such as veterinary nursing, your personal statement could be the deciding factor on whether or not you get an interview. So, it’s important to make it compelling.

Here, we’re going through some practical advice and guidance about how to prepare your veterinary nursing personal statement. Let’s get started!

Structure your veterinary nursing personal statement in a clear format

You could be an excellent candidate for veterinary nurse training on paper, but if you showcase your skills and experiences in a poorly structured statement, then you lose your impact. So, it’s important to plan your statement well.

A well-written personal statement with a clear structure will make the information “pop”, and demonstrate you understand how to prepare an important academic document – a crucial skill needed for many college and university courses. There’s no “right” way to structure your veterinary nursing personal statement, however it’s a good idea to include:

• A clear introduction, explaining why you want to study the course and become a registered veterinary nurse
• A section focusing on your work experience and academic achievements, to show how you’re qualified to study veterinary nursing
• A section about any relevant hobbies, interests, extracurricular activities or personal achievements, to show what else makes you suitable to study veterinary nursing
• A clear conclusion that is memorable and unique to you

Writing a sparkling introduction and leave a lasting impression

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression that first impressions count. Your introduction is the first thing your reader will see, so you need your opening lines to grab attention and set yourself apart from the other applicants. Vague statements about loving science and animals don’t always make the cut. What qualities and personal experiences do you bring to the table which shaped your character and would make you an excellent veterinary nurse? What makes every applicant unique is that they will have a genuine reason for wanting to study something, so make sure they know what your reason is!

Talk about your experiences working in a veterinary setting

Your veterinary nursing personal statement is a key opportunity for you to communicate your work experience in further detail and explain how it has prepared you for the challenges and requirements you will face as a student veterinary nurse.

Firstly, you need to ensure you have achieved the minimum work-related requirements needed to apply for your chosen programme. Work experience is really important when applying for competitive veterinary nursing programmes, so any relevant animal and equine related work experience over and above the minimum requirements will be looked on favourably and will demonstrate that you understand the profession you will be joining. Think about what skills, knowledge and behaviours your work experience has taught you. More than this, explain how those skills will help you be a better student veterinary nurse. Use examples from your work experience to show what you learnt about the role of a veterinary nurse. For example, thinking about the reality of dealing with owners as well as the animals.

What kind of work experience should I have?

You need to refer to your individual course requirements to answer this questions. Usually you should have some work experience in a clinical setting, such as a small animal practice. Work experience in a veterinary hospital or referral organisation would also be advantageous. Any other ‘animal experience’ such as working in a stables, farm, kennels/cattery shows you aren’t afraid of hard work and you have a clear understanding of what working with animals is all about.

Explain why you want to be a veterinary nurse

Ensure that you explain why specifically you want to be a nurse – and make sure it’s personal. This may seem like obvious advice, however sometimes your intentions can get lost under vague statements about loving science and animals, which don’t always stand out in a pile of applications. You need to explain your motivations for wanting to become a veterinary nurse, and use the opportunity to show you really understand what the role is all about. There isn’t an easy answer to this question, or a ‘best way’ to do it. You just need to be honest and avoid clichés, gimmicks, exaggerations or waffling.

It’s not all about loving animals… think about other skills you will need as a veterinary nurse

Veterinary nurses use their technical knowledge and expertise to care for our pets with skill and empathy every single day. It goes without saying that working as a veterinary nurse is a great choice for those who are caring, giving and motivated to do the best for animals. However, it’s important not to lose sight of the fact there are also lots of other skills and qualities that can help someone succeed in the role, for example: interpersonal skills, good communication, team working, good customer service skills and so on. Everyone will talk about their love of animals in a veterinary nursing personal statement, and it’s important to showcase your love of them too – but think about how you can show you possess the other really important qualities and skills too.

Additional qualifications, hobbies and interests can help

You need to ensure you have achieved the minimum entry requirements needed to apply for your chosen programme.

In addition, relevant extracurricular activities, hobbies and interests can be used to showcase transferrable skills and knowledge that can help you study veterinary nursing. Hobbies that demonstrate leadership and responsibility are even better, and could be suitable for lots of different veterinary nursing programmes. Your extracurriculars should show how you manage your time and that you have a life outside of studying. Remember to always bring it back to relevant skills – for example teamwork, problem solving, leadership, dedication and so on.

Anything that shows you have the ability to face a challenge, or have a sense of community responsibility, will stand in good stead in a veterinary nursing personal statement. However, make sure you explain why certain hobbies and interests will help you in a career as a veterinary nurse – don’t just list hobbies with no comment.

Veterinary nursing personal statement writing includes spelling and grammar checking

A common piece of advice given to people who want to know how to write a good personal statement is: check your personal statement for grammar and spelling mistakes.

It may be repeated by admissions departments and careers advisors alike, but there’s a reason for this. For certain courses, you could be one of 100s of applicants. When faced with so much competition, you really need to go the extra mile to make sure your personal statement is free of silly mistakes. It makes all the difference. If you know that spelling and grammar is a personal weakness, use a grammar checker such as Grammarly to help you. If you want to brush up on your English skills, you could even undertake one of our Functional Skills English courses.

Avoid the predictable in your veterinary nursing personal statement and write like a human

Are you a hardworking, motivated individual that works well within a team? There are plenty of buzzwords that admissions departments will see over and over again. Anyone can write ‘enthusiastic’ or ‘organised’. However, it is better if the experiences, qualifications and achievements you write about in your personal statement make these attributes self-evident. Try to portray your personality and tell your individual story using your writing style – let them know who you are without repeating your basic application information. Find out the top 10 most over-used buzzwords on LinkedIn.

In addition, it’s important to demonstrate professionalism in your personal statement, and your language can go a long way towards achieving this. However, overusing long words and technical jargon can sometimes have the opposite effect. Avoid using lots of unnecessary words in your writing. Instead, take note of George Orwell’s six rules for clear and concise writing and impress admissions with your concise personal statement. You only have so many words. So, if a sentence is not adding to your essay and helping you prove your point, let it go.

Learn from others

When it comes to writing a good personal statement, take advantage of the people around you to gain feedback.

It may be worth speaking to a careers advisor, or contacting an admissions department to ask for tips and advice. Seeking constructive feedback from others is the quickest way to make improvements to your work.

If you’ve spent a lot of time working on the same piece of writing, it’s harder to recognise any silly mistakes you’ve made. This is where your family and friends come in. Give your personal statement to someone else to read, check for errors and provide feedback.

Remember you’re not the first person trying to write a great personal statement, and you certainly won’t be the last. There’s nothing wrong with taking a look at how other people have approached their statements. As long as you do not copy others’ work, reviewing the strengths and weaknesses of other statements can help you identify how to improve your own.

Don’t overthink your veterinary nursing personal statement

It isn’t easy staring at a blank page, so just write. It is much easier to work with a poor first draft, than it is no writing at all. In addition, please do not be put off from applying if, for example, you have not completed extra studies in animal care or do not have years of work experience. Good veterinary nurses come from all walks of life, with varying amounts of prior experience. Colleges and universities will welcome each application on its own merit.

You have lots to offer and the right veterinary nursing course is out there for you. Taking the time to develop your personal statement will help you find it.

Veterinary Nurse Training at The College of Animal Welfare

If you’re interested in training as a veterinary nurse, we offer a range of veterinary nurse qualifications. This includes Further Education (Level 3 Diploma) through to Higher Education (FdSc and BSc Honours) programmes. We are one of the largest veterinary nurse training providers in the UK. Find out more about our veterinary nursing programmes

Further Reading

• Interested in training as veterinary nurse? Find out more here
• Find out more about A Career as a Veterinary Nurse
• Download our Veterinary Nursing Career Guide

Being a good clinical supervisor is no easy task. You’ve been recognised for your skills and expertise in the workplace, and now you’ve been tasked with helping student veterinary nurses to succeed by sharing those things.

Whether you’re currently a clinical supervisor, interested in becoming one in the future, or looking to find someone to be your clinical supervisor; take a look at just a few of the traits you will find behind a great clinical supervisor:

1. They master the art of “active listening”

Active listening skills are critical to being a good clinical supervisor, because the success of clinical supervision is built upon how well you communicate with each other. Clinical supervisors who know how to listen actively will not simply sit back and listen to what someone has to say; they will go the extra mile to make sure their students know they’re being heard. Active listeners will sit up straight, take notes, ask open questions that push discussion, repeat what they’ve heard to clarify their understanding, and provide verbal gestures to show they’re following what you’re saying.

2. They’re willing to share skills, knowledge and expertise

People who are not just in it for themselves and genuinely care about the success of a business make the best clinical supervisors, because they’re not greedy or coy with the skills and experience they have to offer. Instead, they’re actively invested in the success of others in the organisation, want to see people do well and are willing to teach others what they know in order to help them.

3. They act as a positive role model

More than anything else, good clinical supervisors should be good role models to the people they’re developing. The best clinical supervisors are people who take pride in what they do, want to grow and truly care about their own careers, as they are more likely to want to make the most out of their mentoring programme. What’s more – because they carry high expectations for themselves, they will bring high standards into the clinical supervisor and student relationship and push for ambitious goals in their students too.

4. They focus on helping others to “problem solve”

Good clinical supervisors understand the value of practical guidance and feedback in helping someone to think about and solve personal and professional problems constructively, which is what clinical supervision is all about. What’s more – they can ask the right questions and prompts that allow others to understand their strengths and weakness and set appropriate career goals for themselves.

5. They value ongoing learning and growth

Good clinical supervisors don’t just believe they can learn something from anyone and anything, they know they can and therefore actively look out for opportunities to learn something new. They understand that they have just as much to gain from mentoring as their mentee, and that the relationship can expose them to new ideas and ways of thinking that will aid their personal and professional growth. They may undertake further training by completing an advanced veterinary nursing qualification, attending CPD courses or congresses such as Clinical Supervisor Congress, or even studying professional coaching and mentoring qualifications to develop in their role as a mentor.

Develop the skills to nurture growth, with a Coaching and Mentoring qualification

If you’re interested in developing your mentoring skills, our Coaching and Mentoring qualifications, accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), can help you support development within the workplace, as well as gain confidence in influencing, guiding and supporting those around you.

For further information on our courses, or details about how to apply, visit our website. 

Do you mentor others in veterinary practice as a clinical coach? Or perhaps you’ve been recognised for your skills and expertise in the workplace, and now you’ve been tasked with helping someone else succeed by coaching and mentoring them?

Whether you’re currently working in a mentoring role, or interested in becoming a mentor in the future, mentoring is more than just transferring advice and knowledge, and it’s not just the mentee who will benefit. As well as helping you to advance your career, by mentoring you can gain extra skills and understanding.

From building professional relationships and developing better communication and leadership qualities, take a look at what else you can gain from becoming a mentor and how it could reward you professionally: 

1. Give something back to others 

Mentoring allows you to give something back to your colleagues and organisation, by sharing skills and experience with junior or less experienced staff members for the benefit of everyone in the team.

2. Boost fulfilment and job satisfaction

Supporting the development of others can boost your own sense of fulfilment and job satisfaction, especially as your mentor progresses and reaches their full potential. This, in turn, leads to higher morale and performance at work.

3. Learn and develop new skills

Your mentor is not the only one who will be learning new skills! The mentor-mentee relationship help you to strengthen your active listening and communication skills. Not only this, you can develop your personal leadership, management and coaching qualities. You will also learn more about other areas or departments within your organisation.

4. Reinforce your existing skills and knowledge

They say the best way to learn something is to teach it. Mentoring someone to develop the skills that you already know can help you solidify your knowledge of a particular topic. It can also help you spot any gaps in your own knowledge, so you can fill them and continue to develop professionally.

5. Pave the way to higher recognition at work

As a mentor, there will be a higher recognition of your skills and experience as a senior team member of expert in your subject matter. This increases peer recognition as well as enhances the value of your contributions at work. The new skills you learn from mentoring could even lead to more responsibility and promotions.

6. Gain exposure to new ideas and ways of thinking

The point of mentoring is to share knowledge, skills and experience. Naturally, doing so will bring fresh perspectives, ideas and approaches to problems which you can take back to your everyday work.

7. Enhance your professional development record

Coaching and mentoring is a great avenue for Continuing Professional Development (CPD). It could pave the way to formal qualifications and further training in the future.

8. Expand your professional network

Mentoring can help you develop more professional working relationships, as well as open up more opportunities for networking in your field.

9. Build Confidence

Working with someone less experienced than yourself to help reinforce their knowledge and teach them new skills can all help you to build your own confidence. The more confident you become, the less you’ll second-guess your decisions and the more confident you’ll be in your own role. 

10. Achieve further career progression

Put simply, mentoring offers the regular opportunity to reflect on your own goals and practices. This can provide an added sense of purpose, responsibility and direction for your career.

Develop the skills to nurture growth, with a Coaching and Mentoring qualification

If you’re interested in developing your mentoring skills, our Coaching and Mentoring qualifications, accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), can help you support development within the workplace, as well as gain confidence in influencing, guiding and supporting those around you.

For further information on our courses, or details about how to apply, visit our website. 

Our next virtual Head Nurse Congress is taking place on Thursday 16 September 2021, and is now open for registrations.

Head Nurse Congress is aimed specifically at head veterinary nurses and practice managers. During the online event, delegates will be able to listen to a variety of relevant lectures from expert speakers, hear from a range of industry exhibitors and gain up to 8 hours of CPD – all from the comfort of their own home or workplace.

September’s congress is sponsored by the Veterinary Management Group (VMG). There will be a range of lectures looking at how to conduct appraisals, develop assertiveness, manage time and delegate effectively and much more.

Book before 16 July 2021 to attend congress at the early bird rate!

Delegates who book before 16 July 2021 can attend congress for the discounted early bird price of £125+VAT – saving £60! Full details can be found on our website or by calling 01480 422060.

If you’re considering studying veterinary nursing with us, you may be worried about how the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may impact your training.

We’re very are proud of the steps and efforts we’ve made as a college to protect future careers and give learners the ability to continue to achieve their goals during the pandemic, and we’re confident we can rise to any challenge that comes our way.

Since March 2020 and the initial lockdown, our programme team has continued to ensure that students are able to progress with their programme of study. We successfully replaced our face to face classroom lectures with live streamed sessions and online support, allowing students to engage with their lecturers and tutors in real time either from home or from work.

To provide some reassurance to those interested in studying our Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing, we have outlined some of the ways we’ve futureproofed our course delivery against COVID-19. Read on to find out more: 

1. We’ve invested in new, forward thinking technologies to take our virtual delivery to the next level

At The College of Animal Welfare, we’re no stranger to delivering training and education virtually. Even before the pandemic, we invested a considerable amount of time and money into developing online courses that are fit for purpose and allow learners who may not be able to attend College to still access quality training and education in the comfort of their own home or workplace.

In response to the pandemic, we took our online learning to the next level by investing in a new virtual delivery platform, to ensure students were able to progress with the theory elements of our Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing.

Virtual classroom software

Our new online conferencing system allows our tutors to deliver effective teaching sessions and share engaging audio, video, slides, chat, and screens. The software also offers lots of interactive features which means our students can engage with their tutors and peers in real-time, for example through sharing of emoji icons, polling, and breakout rooms.

We have chosen this new delivery software to ensure our learner experience is as close to classroom delivery as possible, whilst offering all the additional benefits of online learning. Since launching our new virtual classroom in the Summer of 2020, we’ve had lots of great feedback from our students:

“Love the software, please continue to use this programme. Great to interact.”

“I found the entire morning in the new virtual classroom so engaging and enjoyable, I felt I really understood the topic.”

“The setup was far more interactive, fun and communal.”

“I enjoyed the lesson using the new software, it was very interactive and being able to speak and communicate with the group was just as good as being in the classroom.”

Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

Throughout the pandemic we have continued to develop our advanced Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), which includes document repository, online exams and assignment submissions capability, VLE and IT helpdesk support, bespoke interactive learning materials developed in-house, lesson capture, virtual classroom delivery, forums and many more exciting features to enhance our students’ learning experience.

What does virtual learning on our Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing look like?

The theory element of our Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing will continue to be delivered via our interactive, live, virtual classroom platform for the time being, with additional access to our well-resourced Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

Staff will continue to provide remote academic support (for example, learner reviews) in line with set timetables via online communication tools. This enables us to maintain our intention is to keep the number of students in the college to a minimum.

Take a look at the video below to gain a better insight into how our virtual delivery looks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGvO_hk9iWs

2.  Rules are in place to ensure students coming into centre for practical skills training and assessments are safe

As a result of being able to deliver the theory elements of our Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing virtually, we have been able to offer students, where required, the opportunity to attend college for crucial practical skills sessions and exams in a safe environment.

The College is committed to continuing to provide a safe environment for students, while still maintaining a quality education to ensure students can achieve their goals. All students and visitors to centre are temperature tested and required to have proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of entry to the college centres. 

Take a look at some of the additional measures we have in place to keep our community safe in centre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN4KJr-IqAE

3. We’ve invested in new ways to empower our community to look after their mental and physical wellbeing

At CAW, we put the mental and physical wellbeing of our students and staff first. We want to empower our community to look after their health and wellbeing, and give them the resources they need to gain help if they need it.

In response to the pandemic, we introduced a range of additional wellbeing initiatives. We invested in new projects to provide extra support to our students during COVID-19. In addition to free counselling for all students we also now provide:   

• A CAW Buddy Scheme – We introduced a Buddy Scheme to help students settle into college life, which can feel a little daunting particularly during the pandemic.
• Fika – We invested in the mental fitness app, Fika. All our students can use Fika to access guided mental skills development courses with proven benefits to mental wellbeing.
• Togetherall – All our staff and students can access online mental health and wellbeing support through Together All(formerly Big White Wall). This service can be used at any time of the day or night, all year round.
• Living Well – we continued to develop the “Living Well” section of our VLE. “Living Well” is a collation of useful and up-to-date guidance about physical and mental wellbeing. This includes resources for eating well, getting active, COVID-19 health and safety and sexual health.
• COVID-19 wellbeing articles and resources – we published a range of mental health and wellbeing articles and resources, which we shared to students via our new wellbeing e-newsletter

To read more about mental health and wellbeing support available to students at The College of Animal Welfare, visit: www.caw.ac.uk/wellbeing

4. We’re continuing to do what we do best – provide quality education and training

Even though our community are working and studying remotely, we feel the coronavirus crisis has brought us closer together. We’re very proud of the steps and efforts we’ve made as a college to protect future careers and give learners the ability to continue to achieve their goals during this time. We’d like to thank everyone at the college who have risen to the challenge and embraced the need to adapt.

More than this, we’d like to remind our community that if you have any problems or concerns, please get in touch with us as. We’re more than happy to help. It’s really important we check in on our co-workers, friends and loved ones, so please reach out to someone you’ve been meaning to today. Helping and caring for each other is how we get through crisis.  

For the latest information on our response to COVID-19 please visit our website: www.caw.ac.uk/covid-19 Alternatively, if you have any questions about our delivery please don’t hesitate to get in touch at admin@caw.ac.uk or 01480 422060.

Find out more about our Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing