Have you been working on your veterinary technician degree? Or are you thinking about becoming a vet tech? Well, there is good news for you!
According to the U.S. News and World Report, "Employment for veterinarians is expected to grow by 19,700 jobs, or 33 percent, between 2008 and 2018. There were 90,000 veterinarians in 2013, according to industry data—(102,000 in 2014 according to the AVMA Market Research Statistics), and demand for vets is strong."
If the demand for veterinarians increases, so will the jobs for veterinary technicians! The growth of veterinary technician jobs is expected to be over 30 percent from 2012-2022, a much faster growth rate than any other occupation.
On the tails of National Veterinary Technician week, more people are becoming aware of the great value veterinary technicians bring to the table. Vet techs make the difference! In addition to the skills they provide, they bring compassion, education to clients, and efficiency to the practice. One AVMA study suggested that the typical veterinarian’s gross income increased by $93,311 for each additional credentialed veterinary technician per veterinarian in the practice. This is a huge value to practitioners.
As the demand for veterinary technicians increases, vet techs have to advocate for themselves and their pay scale. My advice is to know your strong points and put yourself out there. Show your value through hard work and don't be afraid to communicate about your pay. There are many technicians who will go years without a raise because they are afraid to ask.
Better pay and opportunities may also be available for those willing to consider a specialty. NAVTA recognizes and has approved 12 different specialty academies that focus on surgery, behavior, emergency and critical care, anesthesiology, and dentistry, among others. There are also other options outside of the veterinary clinic. Working for the USDA, doing independent contracting or on-call work, mobile practice, pharmaceutical or veterinary product sales, veterinary insurance, and other veterinary industry jobs are available.
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Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
VIN News: Veterinary Technicians: Opportunities, but at what cost?