If you’re looking to expand your veterinary nursing team in the future, now is the time to recruit a student veterinary nurse at your practice using the Apprenticeship Standard in Veterinary Nursing.
Veterinary nursing apprenticeships have been around for some time and there are more benefits to employers than ever before. Not only do they provide an opportunity for someone to gain a qualification, gather valuable experience working with animals and enter the veterinary industry, they can help veterinary employers to expand and grow their team in a cost effective and practical way. Delivered in the right way, they can create skilled, committed, and loyal veterinary nurses, who want to progress within your veterinary practice.
Here, we’re going through some of the reasons you should use apprenticeships to recruit your next veterinary nurse:
Your apprentice goes through an employer-focused programme of study delivered by industry professionals
The veterinary nursing apprenticeship standard has been developed in conjunction with employers, meaning your apprentice will learn the most relevant and up-to-date skills required by industry. Over the course of the apprenticeship your apprentice will follow a formal, externally assessed learning structure. This will be supported by a mixture of small group college sessions and innovative online learning, led by professional lecturers who have extensive experience in the industry and really understand the role of the veterinary nurse.
Our Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing Apprenticeship covers the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours needed of a professionally registered veterinary nurse to work within the standards and scope of practice defined by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). In addition, embedded within this qualification is the content required for you to become an SQP for companion animals. Over the course of the apprenticeship your apprentice will cover:
- Legislative compliance and regulatory requirements
- Comparative functional anatomy for veterinary nursing practice
- Infection control in veterinary practice
- Materials, equipment and resources
- Veterinary Nursing Care
- Emergency and critical care
- Diagnostic techniques for veterinary nurses
- Communication
- Self-Management
Apprenticeships offer lots of financial benefits to employers
With the National Minimum Wage for Apprentices being just £6.40* per hour, apprenticeships can be an affordable way to recruit new veterinary nurses whilst providing a training opportunity for someone keen to start a career in veterinary nursing. What’s more, there are added financial incentives for employers recruiting apprentices:
- 95% of apprenticeship training fees are covered by the government for small employers with digital accounts. If your salary bill is over £3 million, you pay the Apprenticeship Levy. Don’t let this money go to waste. The training of the apprentice is covered by your levy payments. If you don’t pay the levy, you pay just 5% of the training cost.
- Take on a new apprentice aged 16-18 years of age and you may be eligible to receive a £1,000 incentive towards their training fees (in two staged payments).
- If you choose CAW as your training provider we can help you recruit free of charge. You can also advertise your vacancy on our free jobs board.
Diversify your workforce and make use of fresh ideas and perspectives
Veterinary nursing apprenticeships aren’t just for school leavers; apprentices can be any age (as long as they are over 16 years of age). This means apprenticeships can attract diverse talent from all walks of life, whom you may otherwise miss out on. You might recruit someone fresh from school, or you could train someone who is switching careers later in life after deciding that veterinary nursing is what they really want to do. Either way, apprenticeships allow you to support your local community.
More than this, veterinary nursing apprentices bring excitement and energy into your veterinary practice. This is an opportunity for them to earn money whilst gaining a qualification and work experience in their chosen field, and they are eager to make a great impression! They bring creative ideas, and can offer unique perspectives on how to improve your practices as they learn on-the-job.
You can grow a loyal veterinary nurse that meets the needs of your practice
Apprentices often arrive in your veterinary practice as a fresh canvas, which means you can train them how you wish and teach them exactly how you want things to be done in your practice. Your apprenticeship training provider will work with you and support your apprentice to ensure they learn the skills needed to deliver on the job.
Alternatively, a veterinary nursing apprenticeship can also be undertaken by existing members of staff, for example veterinary care assistants, as a way to upskill or retrain.
Apprenticeship Training at The College of Animal Welfare
At The College of Animal Welfare, we have a well-earned reputation for excellence; delivering quality training and education and employer support. Your apprentice will benefit from:
- Support and guidance from qualified lecturers with strong industry experience
- Diverse teaching, learning and assessment approaches catered for individual needs
- Access to our unique Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and extensive eLibrary resources
- Access to state-of-the-art clinical skills facilities
We offer veterinary nurse apprenticeship training from centres across the UK, with intakes starting throughout the year. If you’re interested in recruiting a veterinary nursing apprentice, download our guide to learn more!
Down our Employers Guide to Veterinary Nursing Apprenticeships