If you are interested in a career in veterinary nursing, an apprenticeship is one way to help you get started. Some colleges may require you to complete a veterinary nurse apprenticeship and might even help you in setting one up. If your school does not require this, you might be able to find an apprenticeship by volunteering at a local animal shelter or rescue agency. Talking to licensed veterinarians in your area can be other way of beginning an apprenticeship program.
The amount of education needed to be a veterinary nurse varies, but can be anywhere from two to four years. Near the end of your program, you may want to start looking for a veterinary nurse apprenticeship so you can gain valuable on-the-job training. It can be helpful to talk to an advisor at your school to see if one of these programs is required before you can graduate. They may be able to arrange one or give you names of people to contact about doing so if this is the case.
If you are trying to find a veterinary nurse apprenticeship on your own, a good place to start could be at a volunteer agency. Many animal shelters cannot afford to pay a veterinary technician on a full-time basis, but openly welcome volunteers. Working at one of these shelters could benefit you in a number of ways because you would likely be directed by a licensed veterinarian. This position could lead to steady employment, as you will be able to network with other professionals in this line of work.
You may be able to find a veterinary nurse apprenticeship by contacting a veterinarian directly. Let her know you are interested in this type of work and would like to become a member of her staff. Make sure you leave an updated copy of your resume and follow up with a thank-you note after your initial meeting. Even if there are no openings at that time, new ones could become available at any time, so you may want to call back from every so often in order to stay updated.
Talking to a local conservation officer could also land you a veterinary nurse apprenticeship. This is because she may know of a wildlife rehabilitation center in need of veterinary nurses. These agencies may have regular apprenticeship programs which add additional workers whenever there is an increase in injured animals, such as immediately after a natural disaster.