19 June 2023

Whether it’s helping artificially inseminate a heifer or tending to a pet cat, no two days are the same at Guyra District Veterinary Clinic – and Heather Moran wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Guyra local and TAFE Digital graduate said she is living her dream career as a vet nurse, helping tend to sick and injured animals in a busy country vet clinic.

And TAFE Digital-trained vet nurses have never been more in-demand. According to Jobs and Skills Australia, there are currently about 10,700 vet nurses nationwide, a number that will need to almost double by 2026 to keep pace with industry demand.

Ms Moran said studying her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing through TAFE Digital gave her the practical skills and flexibility to make an immediate mark in her role.

“With my busy life, I wouldn’t have been able to do the course if I had to drive to Tamworth for a face-to-face class,” Ms Moran said. “A lot of my teachers were actual working vets and it was just such a great way of learning.”

Ms Moran, 29, who grew up on a farm and has a lifelong love of animals, said working as a vet nurse was both rewarding and exhilarating.

“Vet nursing was always a natural choice for me and we have such a huge variety of animals in this clinic,” she said.

“It’s so satisfying knowing you’re making a difference and helping animals get well again.”

TAFE Digital vet nursing teacher Emma Joseph, a practicing vet nurse for more than a decade, said Ms Moran was a powerful example of how TAFE Digital enabled students to realise their dreams in a flexible learning environment.

“Heather was so self-motivated and keen – she just kept persevering,” Ms Joseph said.

“By the end of the course, most students are already in paid work or very close to that point.

“It’s such an ever-changing job and it’s rewarding to be able to help pets and their owners when they need you most.”

The Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing with TAFE Digital is a self-paced, online course that includes 21 units of study. Applicants to the course must have completed the equivalent of a Certificate II in an animal studies-related area.

Media contact: Daniel Johns, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, (02) 6938 1441, mobile 0477 722 428