Career
Want to spend your life working with animals? There are lots of opportunities to build an amazing career.
Becoming qualified as a veterinary nursing assistant or veterinary nurse opens up a wide range of career options. Most of our graduates start work in vet clinics as a nurse or nursing assistant. With experience and their passion for animals, veterinary nurses can have successful careers that lead them far and wide. Possibilities include:
Popular Career Paths
Head or senior veterinary nurse of a veterinary clinic
Specialist veterinary nurse – companion or large animal clinics
Practice manager of a veterinary clinic
Veterinary nurse for animal welfare or conservation organisations worldwide
Zoo veterinary nurse
Academic tutor or lecturer
Doggy daycare, kennels, or cattery assistant, manager or owner
Service dog care and training e.g. guide dogs
Ministry of Primary Industries roles e.g. dog handlers
Animal trainer or behaviour consultant
Animal health product sales representative or manager
Animal nutrition sales representative or manager
Pet retail industry roles
Veterinary nursing can be your ticket to the world! You can work with your qualification in most places overseas. Many New Zealand trained veterinary nurses travel and work in Australia, Canada or the UK. Some of our graduates have volunteered or worked in international animal welfare or conservation projects as a veterinary nurse. The sky is the limit for what you want to achieve with your veterinary nursing qualification.
Employment opportunities for veterinary nurses in New Zealand remains high. There is a strong demand for Vet Nurse Plus graduates, with well over 95% of our graduates in jobs within six months of graduation.
