Veterinary Nurse

Translate your love for animals into a career as you care for animals under treatment.

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Turn your love for animals into a rewarding career

No two days are the same as a Veterinary Nurse. As a valued member of a veterinary team, you’ll care for a range of pets including cats, dogs, horses, and farm animals. You’ll be an all-rounder in the team, assisting Veterinarians to perform procedures and operations, as well as undertaking general administrative tasks. This hands-on career will satisfy your compassion for animals, with scope to become a qualified Veterinarian if you choose to do further study.

Key stats

A Veterinary Nurse assists Veterinarians in the diagnosis, treatment and care of animals. Here are some key facts and figures about this career path:

$1,026
Average weekly salary
40 hrs
Average hours worked per week
29 yrs
Average age of people in this career
Multi-region
Jobs available in metro and rural areas
~10,700
People employed in this industry
51%
Of employees are full time
Below average
Unemployment for this industry
15.4%
Future growth (next five years)

Stats as of April 2024. Source: LabourMarketInsights.gov.au

Core skills of a Veterinary Nurse

Working as a Veterinary Nurse, you’ll need to combine your knowledge of caring for animals with strong customer service skills. Some of the core skills of Vet Nurses include:

Providing animal care advice

Assist with consultations and prepare, review and deliver animal care education programs.

Assisting Veterinarians during operations

Prepare instruments for the Veterinarian, and administer anaesthetics and oxygen during operations.

Handling animals

Hold animals to allow examination and treatment by Veterinarians, place animals in cages for recovery, and monitor their condition.

Undertaking reception duties

Greet patients, accept payments and undertake clerical work.

Start here

Certificate II in Animal Studies

Employment as an Animal Carer/ Pet Shop Assistant/ Veterinary Clinic Assistant

Once you've completed your Certificate II (or equivalent)

Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing

On-campus learning or traineeship

Employment as a Veterinary Nurse

You may choose to complete further study at university to become qualified as a Veterinarian.

Why choose GOTAFE?

Vet clinic

Get hands-on experience with animals in our fully-equipped veterinary clinic, including radiography and ultrasound.

Strong industry connections

Our Trainers have strong local connections, and often recommend students to potential employers.

Accredited courses

Get a recognised qualification with a Certificate IV in Vet Nursing, allowing you to get straight into the workforce after graduation.

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