The content of these Pathways has been agreed by Lantra. These are the only apprenticeship Pathways in the Agriculture & Environment sector approved for use in Wales that are eligible for Welsh Government funding.
Learning Programme Content
The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:
- Qualifications
- Essential Skills
- On/off the job training
The total minimum credit value required for the Level 2 Nursing Assistants in a Veterinary Environment (including qualification and Essential Skills) is: 71 credits
The credit values provided in this document are minimum credits, however, there may be a range of credits above this minimum available, depending on qualification and optional units/routes chosen in line with the relevant awarding organisation’s guidance.
DURATION
Level 2:
Minimum 12 months (flex.)
Entry requirements
Level 2: Nursing Assistants in a Veterinary Environment
There are no specific entry requirements to enter the Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship for Nursing Assistants in a Veterinary Environment, however, the industry highly recommends as minimum entry requirements:
- 3 GCSEs of at least grade D (or 3), including English, Mathematics and Science or equivalent qualifications
Additionally, there are qualifications or experience that will help learners understand the sector prior to starting:
- Voluntary experience within a regulated veterinary or appropriate animal care environment
- Have previously worked in, or are currently working within the industry
- Level 1 Diploma in Work-based Animal Care
- Level 1 Certificate in Work-based Animal Care
- Level 1 Award in Work-based Animal Care
- Level 1 NVQ in Animal Care
- Level 1 Award in Animal Care Skills
- Level 1 Award in Practical Small Animal Skills
- Level 1 Certificate in Practical Small Animal Skills
Learners who have completed the Welsh Baccalaureate may have completed units or short courses, which will provide underpinning knowledge towards the Foundation Apprenticeship, this will be assessed during an initial assessment allowing Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) where appropriate.
Opportunities to complete the Nursing Assistants in a Veterinary Environment Foundation Apprenticeship also exist for adult learners who have experience within the veterinary care industry or who are looking for a career change.
Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)
Level 2: Nursing Assistants in a Veterinary Environment
Level 2: Nursing Assistants in a Veterinary Environment Qualifications
Participants must achieve one of the following combined qualifications below.
| City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistants | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awarding Body | Qualification No. | Credit Value | Total Qualification Time | Combined / Competence / Knowledge | Qualification Assessment Lanaguage(s) |
| City & Guilds | C00/0313/4 600/0106/9 | 53 | 530 | Combined | English Only |
Please see Annex 1 for the relationship between the competence and knowledge units within the combined qualifications.
| CQ Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Nursing Assistants | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awarding Body | Qualification No. | Credit Value | Total Qualification Time | Combined / Competence / Knowledge | Qualification Assessment Lanaguage(s) |
| Central Qualifications | C00/0583/8 600/9504/0 | 57 | 570 | Combined | English Only |
Please see Annex 1 for the relationship between the competence and knowledge units within the combined qualifications.
Essential Skills Wales (ESW)
| Level 2: Nursing Assistants in a Veterinary Environment | Level | Minimum Credit Value |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 1 | 6 |
| Application of number | 1 | 6 |
| Digital literacy | 1 | 6 |
WEST (Wales Essential Skills Toolkit) is compulsory and training providers may be able to create their own sector specific questions using guidance provided by Welsh Government.
On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
|
53 credits/530 hours TQT for City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistants or 57 credits/570 hours TQT for CQ Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Nursing Assistants
|
On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
6 credits/60 hours TQT for Level 1 Essential Skills Wales Communication
6 credits/60 hours TQT for Level 1 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number
6 credits/60 hours TQT for Level 1 Essential Skills Wales Digital Literacy
Other additional requirements
Level 2: Nursing Assistants in a Veterinary Environment
Learners should be encouraged to take additional courses, such as certificates in:
- Emergency First Aid (one-day course approved by Health & Safety Executive HSE)
- Mental Health
Job roles
Level 2: Nursing Assistants in a Veterinary Environment
Job roles at Level 2 (Foundation Apprenticeship) may include:
|
Veterinary Care Assistant/ Animal Nursing Assistant |
Nursing assistants in a veterinary environment aid with the care of animals under direction of qualified veterinary staff. The work involves the provision of basic veterinary care, including handling animals, upkeep of accommodation, provision of food & water and assisting in veterinary procedures.
|
Progression
Level 2: Nursing Assistants in a Veterinary Environment
On completion of the Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship, Apprentices may be able to progress to become a student veterinary nurse, subject to meeting the enrolment requirements set by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons for Student Veterinary Nurses. Opportunities for progression may be:
- Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing - Small Animal Practice
- Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Companion Animal)
- Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing - Equine Practice
- Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Equine)
- Apprenticeship in Veterinary Nursing
- Apprenticeship in Animal Care
- Level 3 Diploma in Animal Care.
For apprentices who wish to continue their development of skills and qualifications beyond Level 2, opportunities exist to progress further to Level 3 qualifications and then into Higher Education with Foundation Degrees/Degrees.
Some of the above opportunities may require further entry requirements, such as Essential or Functional Skills Level 2 (Communication and Application of Numbers).
For more information, please refer to the Level 3 Apprenticeship in Veterinary Nursing or the chosen Level 3 industry framework/pathway/qualification.
Further information on careers in the veterinary activities industry can be found on the BVNA website www.bvna.org.uk
Equality and diversity
It is important that apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.
The Protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.
Training providers and employers MUST also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics.
Nursing Assistants in a Veterinary Environment
Apprentices on the Nursing Assistants in a Veterinary Environment are difficult to represent statistically as they cross over between the Veterinary Nursing and Animal Care industry.
However, what is clear from the two industries is that employees are mainly made up of females, with 67% in Animal Care and more than 96% in Veterinary Nursing, which is significantly higher than the than the percentage of female employees of the UK labour market (47%), as well as the land-based sector average of 32% female employees (Wales’s average at 29%).
Whilst the industry does not preclude males from working in the sector, it is suggested that the imbalance is due to an outdated perception of animal care employment as traditionally a female dominated industry despite many roles in the two industries being carried out by males.
There is a wide range of hands-on roles for people of all ages and abilities together with an increasing need for skilled managerial, high-tech and specialist people.
Employers are looking for employees who show enthusiasm and have basic employability skills such as team working, turning up on time and communication skills.
There are no actual barriers to recruitment into the industry, although there may be some physical restrictions in parts of the nursing assistants role, especially while working with and handling animals. This should not rule anyone out as there may be opportunities for people with a physical disability to work elsewhere in the industry.
Training providers and employers are required to ensure that unfair discrimination does not occur.
Apprenticeships are seen as an important route to encourage and facilitate a greater diversity of individuals into the industry.
Resolutions and further work
The units within the competence qualifications have been written in collaboration with partner awarding organisations to ensure that they are free from bias, accessible to all apprentices and are applicable to a wide range of roles and businesses.
Lantra works with both the animal care and veterinary activities industries to promote the need for skilled managerial, high-tech and specialist people. This takes into account the need to increase diversity within the industry. Activities include:
Marketing and communications, highlighting the opportunities for a wide range of careers and target groups.
The industry also feels that more action may need to be taken in conjunction with the veterinary profession to embed this role within the staff in a clinic or shelter setting, and by providing further value to this role, helping anyone seeking work experience to understand the work within a veterinary practice.
Employment responsibilities and rights
Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory. But it is recommended that all apprentices (especially the 16-18 year group) receive a company induction programme.
ERR should be carried out during induction, revisited briefly on a routine basis, and recorded.
Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the Training Provider / Employer to ensure that the requirements of this Pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government Apprenticeships Guidance.
Further information may be obtained from:
Welsh Government
Annex 1 Nursing Assistants in a Veterinary Environment - Level 2
Relationship between competence and knowledge qualifications
There are two combined qualifications available, which include both, competence and knowledge:
City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistants
600/0106/9 53 credits 530 hours TQT 398 GLH
The competence and knowledge elements will be achieved through completion of the mandatory units listed within the awarding organisation's (City & Guilds) guidance and will total a minimum of 53 credits (depending on the route chosen).
The units will be assessed by assignments. Each assignment is made up of a series of practical marking checklists and case studies which assess the competency elements of the qualification and should be completed and kept in a portfolio of evidence, and a number of tasks that assess the knowledge elements of the qualification, such as written tasks.
The authenticity, sufficiency and validity of the evidence will be judged by the assessor.
Knowledge units
- 201 - Principles and practices of animal handling and care in the veterinary environment (8 out of 16 credits knowledge)
- 202 - Principles and practices of assisting with care in the veterinary environment (11 out of 21 credits knowledge)
- 203 - Principles and practices of administrative duties in the veterinary care environment (8 out of 16 credits knowledge)
CQ Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Nursing Assistants
600/9504/0 57 credits 570 hours TQT 468 GLH
The competence and knowledge elements will be achieved through completion of the mandatory and optional units listed within the awarding organisation's (Central Qualifications) guidance and will total 57 credits. The units will be assessed by assignments, theory examinations and Central Skills Log portfolio.
The choice of units will - within the requirements of the awarding organisation's (Central Qualifications) guidance - depend on the role and workplace the apprentice is working in and will need to be agreed with the apprentice, employer and provider at the start of the programme.
Knowledge units
- F/502/1689 - Maintain and develop personal performance (1 out of 2 credits knowledge)
- H/502/6951 - Principles and practices of administrative duties in the veterinary care environment (10 out of 16 credits knowledge)
- A/502/7622 - Companion animal anatomy and physiology (5 out of 5 credits knowledge)
- M/502/6953 - Principles and practices of animal handling and care in the veterinary environment (7 out of 16 credits knowledge)
- M/502/7620 - Principles of infection control for animal nursing assistants (2 out of 3 credits knowledge)
- L/504/1900 - Principles of supporting veterinary nursing care for hospitalised animals (3 out of 5 credits knowledge)