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

Whether you’ve recently qualified as a dog groomer, or you’re thinking about training as a dog groomer in the future, you may be wondering about the professional career options for dog groomers.

With a formal dog grooming qualification in hand, many dog groomers are ready to take the industry by storm. There are lots of exciting career paths available to you as a qualified dog groomer, so you can choose something that really fits with your career goals, interests and strengths.

Take a look at some of the options:

Gain a great job working as a dog groomer

Dog grooming is a growing industry, with more and more dog owners taking advantage of the services provided by grooming salons. There are thousands of dog grooming salons, and increasing numbers are part of other pet-related businesses such as pet shops, garden centres, boarding and breeding kennels. Some are branching into cat grooming, and there are also growing numbers of mobile groomers.

If you are not already doing so, seeking employment as a dog grooming stylist is a great way to gain knowledge of how a fast-paced grooming business operates. You never know – after demonstrating the skills you have gained, you might be considered for future management roles within your workplace. Here is a list of websites you can find local dog grooming vacancies:

• The College of Animal Welfare Jobs Board
• CAW Connect Forums
• Animal jobs direct
• Indeed
• Reed

Open up your own dog grooming business

Ambitious groomers could open up their own dog grooming business from home, in commercial premises, or out and about by taking it mobile, or work in partnership with an existing business such as a boarding kennels or dog walkers. Building up connections with existing client bases and industry players in this way will help to boost your new venture long term.

Running your own business means you get to be the decision maker and follow your aspirations. By being your own boss you can work flexibly, choose your surroundings and even the people you work with.

Pursue higher study in dog grooming

You may wish to continue studying and work towards higher-level qualifications by undertaking programmes such as the Level 3 Diploma for Professional Dog Stylists and/or the Higher Diploma in Dog Grooming. Further information can be found on the Pet Industry Federation website.

Compete in professional dog grooming competitions

If you have a competitive streak, there are plenty of opportunities in industry to compete in professional dog grooming competitions and become renowned for excellence in your trade. Competing in competitions can also help you boost your skills by learning from others.

Train future dog groomers as a teacher

If you’re keen to use your skills and knowledge in a different way, you could consider helping the next generation of dog groomers to achieve their formal dog grooming qualifications; either by teaching and promoting dog grooming courses at a relevant college, or by taking on an apprentice at your new workplace. Read more about how to become a dog grooming teacher

Apply to study dog grooming today

If you love dogs and are looking for a new career with lots of opportunity, then dog grooming may be just the thing for you! Our City & Guilds accredited dog grooming qualifications will get you started on the right foot and give you the confidence to undertake a range of bathing and grooming techniques.

Awarded by City & Guilds, our Level 2 Certificate for Dog Grooming Assistants qualification is ideal if you are new to the industry and looking to train as a dog groomer. This programme is run at our Huntingdon (Cambridgeshire), Leeds (West Yorkshire), Wigan (Greater Manchester) centres. Working with our qualified groomers in our state-of-the-art dog grooming suites, the emphasis placed upon practical training throughout the course gives learners the knowledge, skills and experience needed to stand out in an increasingly competitive job market and progress within the industry.

Apply for the Level 2 Certificate for Dog Grooming Assistants

As National Apprenticeship Week comes to a close, we’re delighted to announce some amazing news from our apprenticeships team: all five of our animal care apprentices who recently completed their End Point Assessments (EPA) achieved a distinction!  

With the End Point Assessment taking place virtually due to COVID-19, our students worked extra hard to prepare to be assessed in a new online format, with support from their tutors via Microsoft Teams. Our students’ success is a clear reflection of their confidence and dedication and we’re really thrilled to see them succeed!

Congratulations to all our apprentices – you’ve done us proud!

Has National Apprenticeship Week got you thinking about recruiting an apprentice?

With all the talk of apprenticeships last week, you may be thinking about recruiting an apprentice yourself. With the National Minimum Wage for Apprentices being just £4.15* per hour, apprenticeships can be an affordable way for growing businesses to expand their team whilst providing a training opportunity for someone keen to start a career in your industry.

What’s more – don’t forget that until 31^st March, businesses that recruit a new apprentice aged 16 to 24 will receive a £2,000 incentive from the government towards the cost of training, while those that hire new apprentices aged 25 and over will be paid £1,500.

These payments will be in addition to the existing £1,000 incentive the government already provides for new 16-18 year old apprentices. This means that if you hire a 16 to 18 year old apprentice in the next 6 months, you receive £3,000! If you also have less than 50 contracted employees, the apprenticeship fees for those aged 16-18 years of age will be fully funded!

Talk to us about apprenticeship training today

If you would like to speak to a member of our team directly regarding our apprenticeship training and the benefits it could bring to your business, please contact us at admin@caw.ac.uk or on 01480 422060. You can view all of our apprenticeship programmes on our website.

We’re always being encouraged to talk more about our mental health, and now more than ever it is really important to put yourself out there and make these discussions happen.  

As COVID-19 continues to create social and economic pressures – such as worries about catching the virus, job and money difficulties, disruption to our routines – it may be that you’re worried about a friend, or want to check in with a family member or colleague. You might be struggling yourself.

We all want to be there for the people we care about. However, when it comes to actually starting a conversation that seems “deep” or emotional it can be really daunting – what if you offend them? What if you say the wrong thing? There are so many ‘what ifs’, but having an honest conversation about how we’re feeling with someone we trust can make a huge difference.

This Time to Talk Day, we want to encourage you to be proactive in reaching out to others to start that all important conversation about mental health, as well as open up yourself if you need to. To help you do this, here are 5 tips for starting conversations about mental health:

1. Don’t worry about finding the “right” moment, just speak when it feels natural

There’s no need to overthink about where, when and how these conversations will take place – just let them arise in every day settings. Often, it’s much easier to speak about our feelings when we’re doing something that feels routine, or in places that are more natural, rather than setting up something formal. For example, jogging in the park or whilst eating dinner. The more typical the setting, the less uncomfortable the conversation can feel. More than this, speaking in more typical settings can help us make these conversations a regular, normal part of our lives. Doing something else at the same time also takes the pressure away to fill silences, maintain eye contact, and “finish” the conversation in a particular way. Everyone is different, so think about which environment you are likely to both feel most comfortable in.

2. Talk about your own feelings and experiences

By being open about your own struggles and experiences with mental health, you’re sending a message to others that you’re comfortable talking about your emotions and there won’t be any judgement if they choose to do the same. If you want someone to open up to you, sharing your own vulnerabilities can help someone feel safe to do so.

If you have your own mental health problems and it feels right for you, you can talk about your personal experiences. However, you don’t have to disclose a mental health problem or share your story if you don’t want to – you might not have any personal experience to draw from. It could be as simple as sharing that you feel down sometimes, or talking about something that has been on your mind recently. This can help people feel that they’re not alone.  

3. Ask twice and check in more than once

Often we don’t feel like we can be honest when someone asks “how are you?” because we think they’re just being polite. However, if that person makes the point to ask again “no, really, is everything ok?” we know that they’re asking us seriously and really care about how they’re doing. Even if someone doesn’t feel ready to open up in that moment, your insistence will let them know you’ll be there to listen when they’re ready.

4. Use social media to your advantage

With lockdowns and restrictions still in place, it may not always be possible to speak to someone in person. However, social media is an excellent way to keep in touch with people and you can still make use of video chatting to start a conversation. This way, you’ll still be able to see someone’s facial expressions and read their body language. More than this, some people find it easier to talk about things via text or email. Just make sure you really connect with that person, rather than just liking a post or sharing a funny video.

5. Don’t be afraid to address the elephant in the room

If you know that someone has experienced mental illness – don’t shy away from checking in. For example, maybe they took some time off work recently, or spoke about it in the past. Although it may not be appropriate to bring up specific details, there are respectful ways to show that you care. For example, by asking “how are things now?” or “are you back at work?”. If you notice someone hasn’t been acting like themselves its ok to bring that up too, as long as it’s done in a respectful way. For example, you could say “you’ve seemed a bit quieter than usual recently, is everything ok? I’m here if you want to talk”. Taking the time to check in shows that person there is nothing to feel awkward about, and they can always come to you to chat over something if they need to.  

Look after yourself too and know where you can get support

We’re living in unprecedented times, and mental health has never been more important. It’s important to know that it’s ok to reach out for further help and support if you need it. There are so many people, organisations, services and resources out there to support us during difficult times. If it’s available to you, you could visit your GP or mental health professional for extra help.

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 your mental wellbeing, 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. Read more about this here.