So, you want to work with animals? Working with animals is a great way to help our furry, feathered and slimy friends in the animal kingdom. Careers with animals can vary. There are different types of careers with animals that you can choose from. Some careers with animals will require years of training and college or university work; while other careers with animals will either require a few months or work-based training. A career working with animals will help you to make a difference in the lives of others. It will let you help to make a difference to animals; who might not have had that difference without your help. It can also be a way of creating a more compassionate and caring World for animals.
Here are careers where you get a chance to work with animals. #1 Vet Surgeon When most people think of working with the furry kind, they think of being a vet. To become a vet surgeon, you will have to go to a university or college which is registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). Only a few universities and colleges are registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), which means only a select few have certified vet surgeon courses and qualifications. This is one of the reasons that getting into a vet surgeon course is challenging - there is a lot of competition for vet surgeon courses, and the qualifications you need to enter them are set at a high standard.
Qualifications The qualifications that you need to enter this course, is doing well in subjects like chemistry, biology and math at school - where you should have A passes to get into the course. The vet course itself takes 5 years to complete; so you will be training for a long time. Though, it's worth it if that is the path you want to take. Role Of A Vet Surgeon Once you have completed your course, you can go on to work as a vet surgeon, either in an established practice or by setting up your own vet. Vets can also work with animal charities, wildlife charities and zoos. There is a wide variety of options for you after qualifying. #2 Vet Nurse A vet nurse works in nursing and looking after sick animals in a veterinary practice. You will be nursing sick animals back to health, or animals which have been through surgery (such as being neutered).
As a vet nurse, you will also be supporting a vet surgeon. Your role is one of being part of the wider surgeries team, and looking after sick animals. You will also be responsible for things like administering medication for pets. There is also an option of becoming a locum (self-employed vet nurse), though the rules of what you can and cannot do change for self-employed nurses. Qualifications To become a vet nurse, you can take several routes, but all of these routes will mean in one way or another, that you will be taking a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) accredited course. These options are: . Studying at college or university for either a degree in vet nursing or a diploma in vet nursing. Here you will have a mixture of lectures and other structured coursework in a college or university setting, and hands-on training and experience. . Studying at a university or college, but instead of going to lectures and a college or uni, you will be on a work placement in a vet centre, having hands-on experience and training. This will also require you to learn coursework on your own time. . The same as above, but just an online distance learning course. With this one, you should be careful, not all online vet nurse courses are accredited qualifications. If you are looking for online vet nurse courses, then go to the College of Animal Welfare website.
#3 Vet Nurse Assistant As a vet nurse assistant, you will be working as part of the wider veterinary team. Your job will be to look after the wellbeing of animals. You will play a supportive role as a vet nurse assistant in caring for animals - but it is also an essential role in looking after the animals. You will need to assistant the vet team with things like surgery, monitoring the animals and record keeping. This can be a great career in working with animals. Qualifications To become a vet nurse assistant, you will need to complete a Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Nurses. This will take one year to complete, so it takes a lot less time to complete than becoming a vet nurse or a vet surgeon. You do not need any prior qualifications to go on the Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Nurses. #4 Animal Care Worker An animal care worker can be employed in a variety of settings, such as an animal sanctuary, a charity, or a kennel. Your job as an animal care worker will be to look after animals by cleaning them and their living area, taking them for walks and making sure that they get enough exercise, and feeding them and providing them with water.
Qualifications Usually, animal care workers will be given training if they secure the job. On the job training is typical for this line of work. #5 Cattery or Kennel Worker Working in a cattery or a kennel will either see you work with cats or dogs. You will need to look after the cats and dogs - feed them, groom them and look after them as if they were your own pet. You will also be working with people, answering the phone, writing down appointments etc... Qualifications You don't need any prior qualifications to work in this line of work. #6 Working For An Animal Charity
There are many animal charities out there, which means that there is the option of working with an animal charity. There are many different careers working for an animal charity, you can work on the frontline in careers like being a conservationist, or working behind the scenes in things like IT. Qualifications The type of qualifications that you will need working for an animal charity, will depend upon what career or job you want to do. Some career will require a degree (such as careers in conservation), while other jobs will require no qualifications, but on the job training or previous experience.