RCVS sees record vocational enrolment for veterinary nursing students

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has recorded its biggest ever increase in the number of people enrolling as veterinary nursing students on vocational courses in 2011.

A total of 1,041 students registered with the RCVS to pursue vocational qualifications in veterinary nursing last year, up by 29 percent compared to 809 in 2010, while the number enrolling as student veterinary nurses on either vocational or degree courses rose by a third to 1,439.

The RCVS said the primary factor behind this increase was the introduction of the full-time Level 3 Diploma programme, which has created opportunities for those wishing to take up veterinary nursing despite not being employed by a training practice.

Libby Earle, head of the RCVS veterinary nursing department, said: "When we introduced the qualification in 2010, we hoped that this would help to increase the number of veterinary nurse students – so it's great to see this is happening already."

This comes after the industry body last month reported a 70 percent pass rate among those taking the latest round of Level 3 Diploma exams.