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The big and shiny work experience bible

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steph_v
I know that, I'm not stupid.
And I go to a small animal clinic, the nearest large animal is 30 miles away, I'm asked many times and they've said no: they only take university students.
I did ask my vets, but they said they didn't know anyone who took work experience because most of the farms around here have closed down/ shrunk dramatically because of the decreasing value of livestock.
One farmer I spoke to yesterday told me that I might be able to in summer, which is good, I just need to speak to him closer to the time.


Yeah, the getting contacts off vets thing is best, defo. I got my stables/stud placement through a beef farmer (I didnt actually work with the beef farmer, but got his number through a pig farmer lol), and so on. I got my lambing placement through the vets, and I got my abattoir placement through another placement aswell.

Networking, it's where it's at.

I know that livestock value is ever-decreasing, but this doesn't change the fact there are still literally thousands of farms in the UK that are willing to take you, of all animals, shapes and sizes. I had one dairy farm near me, or anything worth calling cycling distance (hadn't passed my test, wasn't on the road at this point). I rang him twice, went to the farm itself, just couldn't get in touch with the man, he wouldn't return my calls, etc, familiar story here. So instead I went up north and stayed on a dairy farm an worked there instead, nowhere near my area, there are loads! I realise you may be at school still doing your A levels, but there's always holidays. I went in May, during study leave. Revision? Take your revision stuff with you!

There's always an opportunity somewhere, you just gotta look hard and wide.
Transatlanticdrawl_
Yeah, the getting contacts off vets thing is best, defo. I got my stables/stud placement through a beef farmer (I didnt actually work with the beef farmer, but got his number through a pig farmer lol), and so on. I got my lambing placement through the vets, and I got my abattoir placement through another placement aswell.

Networking, it's where it's at.

I know that livestock value is ever-decreasing, but this doesn't change the fact there are still literally thousands of farms in the UK that are willing to take you, of all animals, shapes and sizes. I had one dairy farm near me, or anything worth calling cycling distance (hadn't passed my test, wasn't on the road at this point). I rang him twice, went to the farm itself, just couldn't get in touch with the man, he wouldn't return my calls, etc, familiar story here. So instead I went up north and stayed on a dairy farm an worked there instead, nowhere near my area, there are loads! I realise you may be at school still doing your A levels, but there's always holidays. I went in May, during study leave. Revision? Take your revision stuff with you!

There's always an opportunity somewhere, you just gotta look hard and wide.


yeah exactly, my vet might be getting me lambing through someone she knows at dog training, who goes lambing at some farm, who is asking the farmer if they wouldnt mind me going too! This is my only chance of residential work exp really, cos my parents are really overprotective about that sort of thing.

The farm i went to started out as a working farm, and still is to an extent, but has become a farm park with all sorts of animal and playgrounds and stuff, just to make enough money. and i had to go on a >12 mile bus ride each way to get there, for 2 weeks last easter. really ate up my revision time
Reply 342
steph_v
One farmer I spoke to yesterday told me that I might be able to in summer, which is good, I just need to speak to him closer to the time.

I will warn you now that I spoke to a farmer who said exactly the same thing. When I phoned him nearer the time, he said he was busy hay making, and to phone back again in a few weeks. Next time, there was a problem with TB. Each time I spoke to him, he had a different excuse, and in the end he did actually say no. This resulted in me having very little work experience when I applied first time around, because after faffing about with him, it was already the end of September. I'm not saying that this guy will be the same, I'm just letting you know that perhaps you should try again and see if you can find somewhere that will deffo take you. Then again, you have plenty of time before the summer, so hopefully you can sort something out :smile:
Reply 343
Oh :frown:
I wish my school would let me take a week off, but they downright refuse to let students off school.
Thank you for everyone's help, and I'm off hunting for farms this afternoon.
I wish I could drive, it would make things so much easier.
Do you know how much farm work it is recommended to get?
So far I have
6 months+ small animal vet (this is ongoing, will have about 18 months by the time I apply)
3 years stables
8 months+ kennels (once again, will have much more by the time i apply, it's my part time job)
1 week Wildlife hospital (doing more there over Christmas)
1 week Animal + Equine care unit at Brinsbury College (some farmwork is involved there)

Planned/hopeful placements
Cat And Rabbit Rescue Centre (confirmed)
Westpoint large animal practice (not definite, but my small animal vet is trying to pull in some favours)
Rookery Poultry Farm
Noah's Ark Animal and Reptile rescue centre (trying to finalize)
hopefully some lambing

I know it's no where near as good as some people's experience, but if I can get all the places I have planned, I think it should be alright.
You have some good variety, and some real unique ones. But you'd do best with some staple dairy/calving/lambing. I also recommend some pig work for the real hands-on farm work type of stuff, but most people don't do this, so too much to worry about.
steph_v
Oh :frown:
I wish my school would let me take a week off, but they downright refuse to let students off school.
Thank you for everyone's help, and I'm off hunting for farms this afternoon.
I wish I could drive, it would make things so much easier.
Do you know how much farm work it is recommended to get?
So far I have
6 months+ small animal vet (this is ongoing, will have about 18 months by the time I apply)
3 years stables
8 months+ kennels (once again, will have much more by the time i apply, it's my part time job)
1 week Wildlife hospital (doing more there over Christmas)
1 week Animal + Equine care unit at Brinsbury College (some farmwork is involved there)

Planned/hopeful placements
Cat And Rabbit Rescue Centre (confirmed)
Westpoint large animal practice (not definite, but my small animal vet is trying to pull in some favours)
Rookery Poultry Farm
Noah's Ark Animal and Reptile rescue centre (trying to finalize)
hopefully some lambing

I know it's no where near as good as some people's experience, but if I can get all the places I have planned, I think it should be alright.



Damn my work experience seems pathetic in comparison but what the hell, I'll have to put on a good interview face :biggrin:
Reply 346
I don't have staple stuff though, like lambing, calving or being on a dairy farm. I'm trying though.
Reply 347
kat_2k4
I will warn you now that I spoke to a farmer who said exactly the same thing. When I phoned him nearer the time, he said he was busy hay making, and to phone back again in a few weeks. Next time, there was a problem with TB. Each time I spoke to him, he had a different excuse, and in the end he did actually say no. This resulted in me having very little work experience when I applied first time around, because after faffing about with him, it was already the end of September. I'm not saying that this guy will be the same, I'm just letting you know that perhaps you should try again and see if you can find somewhere that will deffo take you. Then again, you have plenty of time before the summer, so hopefully you can sort something out :smile:



i've had similar experiences with farmers like these! they say yes of course you can come on w/e but phone me nearer the time.... and then they say no when you phone them!
Reply 348
steph_v
Oh :frown:
I wish my school would let me take a week off, but they downright refuse to let students off school.


Steph you're obviously not too far from me... If you don't get any joy with Westpoint, Try Starnes and Gatward in Uckfield, very helpful mixed practice but they do get booked up with EMS placements.

For farm work i've been to Hadlow College Farm and to an organic dairy farm in Penshurst. Can give you the contact details if you want. I also spent a week at Godstone Farm.
Reply 349
Tunbridge Wells is only about an hour away, so maybe I could get the train, unless the farm enabled you to stay there/near there?
Thanks for the information.
Reply 350
Has anyone booked any experience through wwoof? and if so was it any good??
Reply 351
I was going to, but you need to be 18, so i couldn't.
Reply 352
Ah okay, I have decided to sign up its only £20.00 so I dont have much to lose.
good for you :smile:
Reply 354
Future African game vet
good for you :smile:


I love the fact your always popping up with Encouraging words, If you keep it up over the next 9 months or so I will buy you a bag of maltesers or perhaps an icecream. :yep:
Reply 355
bumbleboy
I love the fact your always popping up with Encouraging words, If you keep it up over the next 9 months or so I will buy you a bag of maltesers or perhaps an icecream. :yep:


They were my malteasers! :shifty:
Reply 356
emilyyy
They were my malteasers! :shifty:


You can still have a bag :yep: but only if you stop with the :shifty:
Anyone planning to do work experience abroad this easter or summer??
Reply 358
I was pretty worried as I didn't start doing my work experience before July 2008 and I was applying in October. Oops. Still I managed to do these before I applied:
- A day in an abattoir
- 5 days of helping out in a Cats' shelter
- 2 weeks of farm experience
- Seeing practice (small animal) every Monday for 2 months
- Seeing practice (mixed) in Finland for 2 weeks

I also told them that I'd booked two more weeks of seeing practice (mixed) in the end of October. When I was doing work experience at this practice, they had a nurse vacancy that needed filling so I applied and got the job. I haven't told RVC about my job yet but I'm going to mention it in my interview and hopefully I'll get on the course!
running a car alone is a drainer, I could never go abroad at the prices
need to save for uni

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