Thinking of a Career as a Veterinary Technician?

Below is an article I copied and pasted from today's edition of "AAHA (the American Animal Hospital Association) NEWStat Veterinary News - fast and functional".  If you are thinking about a career as a veterinary technician, the writer, David Greene, recommends that now is the time to stay in that career or pursue it.  Many states are now mandating that "official" veterinary technicians graduate from a college accredited in veterinary technology.  Massachusetts requires you have attended and graduated from such a school to become a certified veterinary technician (CVT) in MA.  But the state does not require you to be certified, yet, in order to work at a veterinary hospital.  NY does though and it looks as though many states like MA will not be far behind. ~Pawsitively Posting ~ Gayle C.   :)

For technicians, a rosy outlook 

By David Greene

In a market full of challenges for countless professions, this is a good time to be (or consider becoming) a veterinary technician. Each year, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics releases an occupational outlook handbook, and this year, the market is decidedly bullish for veterinary technicians.

With pet ownership on the rise, positions in the veterinary industry are firmly housed in the growth sector. From the BLS page discussing vet techs:

"Employment change. Employment of veterinary technologists and technicians is expected to grow 36 percent over the 2008-18 projection period, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. Pet owners are becoming more affluent and more willing to pay for advanced veterinary care because many of them consider their pet to be part of the family. This growing affluence and view of pets will continue to increase the demand for veterinary care. The vast majority of veterinary technicians work at private clinical practices under veterinarians. As the number of veterinarians grows to meet the demand for veterinary care, so will the number of veterinary technicians needed to assist them."

In particular, the increased spread of specialized and advanced veterinary care will create wider opportunities. Smaller class sizes in both 2- and 4-year veterinary technology graduating classes will translate to better prospects out of school for those new to the field.

In spite of the low numbers of new veterinary technologists entering the field, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has identified two venues where the competition is expected to remain high for the foreseeable future: aquariums and zoos.

"Despite the relatively few number of graduates each year, keen competition is expected for veterinary technician jobs in zoos and aquariums, due to expected slow growth in facility capacity, low turnover among workers, the limited number of positions, and the fact that the work in zoos and aquariums attracts many candidates."

Veterinary technicians may be surprised to learn that clinical practice might not be the most aggressive growth market for their talents, according to BLS. The agency’s analysis of "best places to look" effectively demonstrates the wide array of applications available for a vet tech’s skill set.

"[V]eterinary technologists will have better opportunities for research jobs in a variety of settings, including biomedical facilities, diagnostic laboratories, wildlife facilities, drug and food manufacturing companies, and food safety inspection facilities."

According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the number of veterinary technicians and technologists in the United States increased about 24 percent, from 63,860 in 2005 to 79,200 in 2009. Meanwhile average annual salaries increased close to 15 percent, from $26,710 to $30,580 during the same period.

Reprinted from AAHA Trends Online, Thursday, February 24, 2011 Edition