Training

Re: Training

albatross — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 22:15:44 GMT

also be aware that it is very hard to get into train unless you are very lucky, in the right area of the country or know someone in a practice, or just happen to have your CV at the top of the pile just before they are about to advertise.

However, in the main, you do need loads of experience in vet practices in order to get into a TP (might change if ATP's set up under the new rules), some on here have 20 years, I have 3 1/2, and so it's very much sought after (which is partly why the rules are changing).
Get as much work experience in any animal field, and especially in vet practices and this will all help you.
Age is also an issue due to the national minimum wage (even though many say they like mature students, I walk into many practices and rarely see any over mid 20's, and when I get interviewed by young head nurses I know I stand no chance of the job either).

also check your qualifications meet the requirement, and if not recent or high enough, go to a learning centre to do a key skills course in Maths or English - I had to do a numeracy one even though I have A level maths from years ago, and a very recent HND in Animal Management (2/3 of a degree) and even though the RCVS was happy with that, the VNAC refused to accept me until I got my certificate (which I did by sitting the exam [ cost £60] without doing any course work and got 97.5% just to prove a point that I didn't really need to do it!)

good luck, and welcome to the long queue - and also be prepared for a significant drop in wages - I taught biology,animal care, genetics etc for a year on more money per hour than trainees get in a day.....

Re: Training

albatross — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 22:08:45 GMT

Mujician, you have caught the VN training scheme right at the most awkward time as they are changing the way training takes place, mostly due to the Government scrapping NVQ's and partly because many people, such as myself, have waited years to try and get a place to train.

Anything can happen subject to final decision by the RCVS on the way forward (as the latest draft stands these could be affected):
TP's could decide not to train under the new rules because they will have to let the student go to college two days a week if full time, and also for the second year they have to offer only a one year contract so could have to let their student go elesewhere if they wanted to leave, rather than as some do now, ask people to stay a year or more after they pass
ATP's might set up to help provide more training places
Students might have to pay for the course especially if not already in a practice
people who fail may find themselves a bit stuck if they don't have contracts
20 weeks a year planned training will be awkward if people are in a non TP or ATP as I can't see a non training type practice paying for or allowing 2 days a week for 36 weeks in college, plus 20 weeks at another practice
many TP's currently have no idea how they are going to proceed - and although we were all led to believe that if you were currently on the NVQ route you would have perhaps 3 years to complete it, it even seems people might somehow get switched across although I can't see how that would work.
It's a case of asking all your local TP's if they intend to carry on training students, and also ask their VNAC if they intend to have the new course up and running - my local college had no idea what they were going to do before Christmas and were waiting for the new rules before they sat down to design the course - you will need a place on the college course as well now, as students are meant to be able to start without being in a TP....or that was the plan to help those who couldn't get places......

Just be patient, and eventually it will be cast in stone, and yet again we can all complain as it's bound to need adjustments

As late as November I was talking to TP's who had no idea the rules were changing.... so presumably they never received anything from the RCVS during the early consultation processes.

Re: Training

Mujician — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:20:50 GMT

I have recently been into my local place and they didnt mention anything about any changes or anythinig. Is there somewhere on the net that has any info on this?

Re: Training

Sal the 1st — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:15:38 GMT

first of all welcome

if you read round a few of the threads on the site you will see that training is a bit up in the air at the moment.

regarding you letter just treat it as an ordinary cv . If you can get a little work experience at a practice anywhere and have that to put in your cv it will look better - you could try asking around the practices local to you