If you’ve received your GCSE results and are interested in working with animals, take a look at some of the training options we provide at The College of Animal Welfare that could help you achieve your career goals…
Veterinary Nursing Qualifications
If you love animals and are concerned with animal welfare; then becoming a veterinary nurse could be the ideal route for you.
Veterinary nurses assist veterinary surgeons in practice and undertake a range of important duties. For example:
- Preparing animals for surgery and performing minor surgical procedures
- Monitoring anaesthetised animals
- Nursing sick animals and administering medication
- Taking x-rays and carrying out diagnostic tests
- Advising owners on the health and welfare of their pets
- Taking bookings, payments and completing necessary paperwork
- Running nurse clinics, such as diet, worming and grooming consultations
The main route into veterinary nursing at CAW for those with 5 GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or grade C or above) including English Language, Mathematics and a Science subject, is our Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing. You can study this Diploma as a standalone qualification or train as part of an apprenticeship. Completion of the course qualifies students to apply for professional registration as a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN). For more information on eligibility criteria please visit our website.
Alternatively, you could continue to study A-Levels with the view to apply for one of our veterinary nursing degree programmes.
Veterinary Care Training
For those that would like to focus on animal welfare duties outside of surgery within a veterinary practice – such as exercising, grooming and feeding hospitalised animals, monitoring and providing supportive care to inpatients and cleaning and preparing accommodation for animals – training as a Veterinary Care Assistant would be an ideal career path!
Veterinary Care Assistants work alongside veterinary surgeons and nurses in order to provide vital nursing care of small animal patients. Our Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistants and Level 2 Certificate in Veterinary Care Support are excellent courses covering the underlying knowledge needed to thrive in a fast-paced veterinary care environment. There are no academic entry requirements, however you do need to be working or volunteering in a suitable veterinary practice for a minimum of 10 hours per week.
Successful completion of either of these qualifications, in combination with a full level 2 qualification in Maths and English Language (e.g. GCSE Grade A*-C or Level 2 Functional Skills) will allow you to apply for the Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing or Advanced Apprenticeship in Veterinary Nursing programmes, subject to employment in a veterinary practice that is approved to train veterinary nurses (a TP or aTP).
You can also study veterinary care and learn on-the-job by undertaking our Veterinary Care Support Level 2 Apprenticeship.
Animal Care Training
Animal care training is suitable for those looking to find employment in animal care environments outside of veterinary practice. For example, this could be a zoo, stables, rescue centre, cattery or kennels. Depending on the role that you choose to undertake, your duties could range from cleaning, feeding and medicating animals, to educating the public on animal welfare and preparing animals for rehoming.
Our animal care qualifications allow students to gain on-the-job training whilst studying. They will cover a variety of animal care practices depending on your level of experience within the industry. For more information on careers within animal care you can visit our online career profiles.
Dog Grooming
Dog Grooming is the perfect career choice if you’re passionate about dogs. As a dog groomer you will bathe, dry and style dogs to ‘breed standard’ or customer specification. Not only this, you’ll carry out basic health checks and identify parasites and signs of infection. For more information about a career as a dog groomer you can download our careers guide.
Our Level 2 Dog Groomer Apprenticeship can get you started on the right foot and give you the confidence to undertake a range of bathing and grooming techniques.
Careers With Animals Day
If you want to work with animals and are looking to gather more information about the different options available, you can come along to our free, Virtual Careers With Animals Day this October. You’ll be able to listen to a variety of career talks from key organisations in the veterinary and animal care industry, ask questions and gain advice. You can view the talk timetable and the last year’s career talks on our website. You can also have a look at a range of animal career profiles on our website.
Remember, there are many sources of help and guidance available if you’re unsure about what to do next, and no matter what your results may be, there will always be a new opportunity waiting for you around the corner.