“There can be a lot of doom and gloom these days, but I still think this is probably one of the best career choices we could have,” says the veterinary hospital owner.
Future veterinary technicians and assistants recently had the opportunity to begin their careers at Georgian University's Orillia campus this week.
Nearly 150 students from both undergraduate programs had the opportunity to participate in Georgia's premier career fair in their field on Wednesday, featuring guest speakers from industry and representatives from a variety of nearby and outside animal welfare agencies.
The college occasionally hosts recruiting fairs for a variety of programs, connecting students to potential opportunities, and officials said they want to expand the same opportunity to include veterinary technician and assistant students.
“I often host events for different program areas of the relevant campus, and none were hosted for veterinary technology or veterinary assistant programs,” said Tammy McDowell, the college's career advisor. “I wanted to be inclusive, and that's where I was born.”
Ten organizations attended the event, hosting information booths for students to learn about different career opportunities.
According to program coordinator, Susan McNeil, one of the goals was to show how many different opportunities there can be for students in this field.
“They don't have to just go to work in general practice, although that is a great opportunity for students,” she said. “There are referral centers, emergency centers, they can work in shelters, with wildlife research, sales, there are all kinds of animal-related opportunities.”
Jocelyn Williams, a veterinary technician student, said she already has her sights set on working with larger animals, such as cows and horses, but said it's a great opportunity for students to learn more about job opportunities.
“It's nice to see opportunities open up for other students,” she said. “This is a lot easier for new students who maybe don't know what direction they want to go in, and it opens their eyes a little bit.”
Dr. Jacqueline Pankatz, who runs Mountain Vista Veterinary Hospital in Collingwood, said she attended Wednesday's event to help with recruitment for her independent animal hospital.
“We're growing, so we need more technicians,” she said. “We're just hoping to talk to some newcomers and alumni (students) and hopefully inspire a couple of them to come and work for us.”
Currently, there are a lot of opportunities in this area, Pankatz said.
“Everyone is hiring, so I think they're in a really good position to do their research and find a practice that fits their needs, and the wages are better than ever because it's a competitive market right now,” she said.
The pandemic has brought some issues to the field — such as burnout and increased demand — but Pankatz said it's still a “great career path” for young people to consider.
“We all got into this industry because we love animals. I think we love science,” she said. “There can be a lot of pessimism these days about what’s going on in the world and in the industry, but I still think this is probably one of the best career choices you could have.” That we get it.”
