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The big and shiny work experience bible

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Original post by beccac94
I feel your pain I live in liverpool and I'm finding it so hard to get work experience its unbelievable.Have you tried Leahurst? they ignored me but they might not ignore you. Also try rutland house in st helens I've got work experiences planned for them later on in the year.


Howareya Becca

Yeah I was on to Leahurst, I'm currently trying to negotiate suitable dates with them. Not sure what happened with yourself and them, I Pm'ed you the e-mail of the person who I'm dealing with. Hope it helps.

At Rutland House the people are sound, they gave me great advice. I was on to them and told to come back at the beginning of the summer. When you've done the placement could you give me a shout just saying what the story was with it.

I'm thinking about expanding my search for experience outside of the North-West. I didn't think it would be so difficult to get people to take me on for work-experience.:cry:

Felling sorry for myself over. Time to work hard.

Good Luck and if I can help you out I will.
Howareya Becca

Yeah I was on to Leahurst, I'm currently trying to negotiate suitable dates with them. Not sure what happened with yourself and them, I Pm'ed you the e-mail of the person who I'm dealing with. Hope it helps.

At Rutland House the people are sound, they gave me great advice. I was on to them and told to come back at the beginning of the summer. When you've done the placement could you give me a shout just saying what the story was with it.

I'm thinking about expanding my search for experience outside of the North-West. I didn't think it would be so difficult to get people to take me on for work-experience.:cry:

Felling sorry for myself over. Time to work hard.

Good Luck and if I can help you out I will.


Yeah sure I have my placement with rutland house at like mid July so it will be some time before I get back though :P I'm so excited to do my placement there. I've also got a placement in vets for pets in old swan.
I'm lambing for the first time this saturday!

Any tips? on what to wear, what to expect etc
:smile:
Original post by Kay17
Can anyone please help me with a dairy farm in Kent??? Am really worried I'm not going to find anywhere in time


try commonwork farm - they're in edenbridge, kent - its where i went and they were all really nice :smile: http://www.commonwork.org/farm.htm
Original post by Leigh303
I'm lambing for the first time this saturday!

Any tips? on what to wear, what to expect etc
:smile:


wellies and something you dont mind getting grubby! overalls are good

what to expect depends on how busy it is, could range from picking up lambs and moving them, to spray marking them, to bottle feeding orphans, to helping with adoptions, to checking on the ewes, feeding sheep, and if there's any emergencies you may get to help with a delivery

have fun - i loved my lambing!
The people were lovely - moved some lambs and ewes to different fields, then...

I DELIVERED TRIPLETS MYSELF!! then twins, a single, and 2 of another lot of triplets! Mostly straightforward but a few awkward positions.

Also the farmer showed me how to inject a lamb with antibiotics, iodine the cord then tube feed colostrum if needed - then sent me off to do the twins & single on my own!

Definitely the best day ive had in a long time, going back next week.

Sorry just had to get that excitement off my chest cos all my friends are like "ewwww you were delivering sheep?!" haha
Reply 1106
Original post by Leigh303
I'm lambing for the first time this saturday!

Any tips? on what to wear, what to expect etc
:smile:


Oh have fun! I loved it :biggrin:

Have a look at this thread
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1530270
Reply 1107
Original post by ILurfSmurf
try commonwork farm - they're in edenbridge, kent - its where i went and they were all really nice :smile: http://www.commonwork.org/farm.htm



Thanks so much! Will have a look now :biggrin:
Does anyone know if there's a limit to how recent the work experience has to be?
I spent two weeks at a SA vets in 2008, and did a week at a kennels/cattery in 2009. Any idea if these will count for 2012 entry?
I'm trying to figure out what areas I need to prioritise this summer (: while I will of course get more SA vet experience, I don't really want to spend another week on kennels/cattery if my week already counts.

Also, any contacts for LA/Equine Vets in Essex (the closer to Thurrock/Basildon the better)?
All of the ones I've found are in Chelmsford, about a 45-minute drive away, which is going to be painfully expensive petrol-wise D:
Original post by Rabbit Child
Does anyone know if there's a limit to how recent the work experience has to be?
I spent two weeks at a SA vets in 2008, and did a week at a kennels/cattery in 2009. Any idea if these will count for 2012 entry?
I'm trying to figure out what areas I need to prioritise this summer (: while I will of course get more SA vet experience, I don't really want to spend another week on kennels/cattery if my week already counts.

Also, any contacts for LA/Equine Vets in Essex (the closer to Thurrock/Basildon the better)?
All of the ones I've found are in Chelmsford, about a 45-minute drive away, which is going to be painfully expensive petrol-wise D:



Liverpool I think counts work experience within the last two years although I counted one place four years before applying and one three years I believe :smile:. Maybe do a couple of days kennels/cattery just as a top up, like maybe a couple of saturdays or whatever :smile: Thats what I did.
Original post by skatealexia
Liverpool I think counts work experience within the last two years although I counted one place four years before applying and one three years I believe :smile:. Maybe do a couple of days kennels/cattery just as a top up, like maybe a couple of saturdays or whatever :smile: Thats what I did.


Awesome, thank you! (:
Reply 1111
Does anyone know any vets or kennals around Wrexham and Chester that they give WE to people who are 14?
Original post by Rabbit Child
Does anyone know if there's a limit to how recent the work experience has to be?
I spent two weeks at a SA vets in 2008, and did a week at a kennels/cattery in 2009. Any idea if these will count for 2012 entry?
I'm trying to figure out what areas I need to prioritise this summer (: while I will of course get more SA vet experience, I don't really want to spend another week on kennels/cattery if my week already counts.

Also, any contacts for LA/Equine Vets in Essex (the closer to Thurrock/Basildon the better)?
All of the ones I've found are in Chelmsford, about a 45-minute drive away, which is going to be painfully expensive petrol-wise D:


It's Blackmore so not much better for you probably but House & Jackson is a mixed equine, SA practice and you can ask to spend more time on the equine side of things. It was the first practice I went to and I loved it :smile:
Anyone know of any SA veterinary practices in Manchester that take on work experience placements? Think i've just about tried everyone!
-waves- hello there, i'm quite new but i must ask this x3 how much emphasis is placed on how much work experience you have? from just reading what you've written in your personal statement, are universities more interested in the amount of work experience you have or what you have learned? i'm asking this because last september i went to the nottingham open day and was completely disheartened when i learned that a lot of their students had more than 26 - 40 ish weeks of work experience. i personally will have 17 - 18 ish weeks of work experience by the time i apply (excluding the volunteering work i've done) and i feel like this isn't enough now. i know i'm limited by the word count for my personal statement so i can't write everything i loved and learned about my placements so i'm worried that they'll take one look at the amount of work experience i've gained and reject me straight away.

and another question, how recent does all my work experience need to be? i've been doing things for three or four years so i'm not sure if this 'counts' or not.

edit: and another question (sorry xD), am i going overboard if i ask farmers/vets for accommodation? i have a couple of friends who are already vet students (very jealous of them x3) and when i was discussing the problem of accommodation and travel to farms that are very isolated with them, they told me that they sometimes asked the farmers/vets for accommodation or a lift and they all agreed! i personally wouldn't feel right asking, but do you think i should?
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 1115
Hi, i sent off a letter to a local vet just over a week ago and have had no reply, I'm thinking of ringing them but dont know what to say. Any advice??
Original post by dizzeedollee
-waves- hello there, i'm quite new but i must ask this x3 how much emphasis is placed on how much work experience you have? from just reading what you've written in your personal statement, are universities more interested in the amount of work experience you have or what you have learned? i'm asking this because last september i went to the nottingham open day and was completely disheartened when i learned that a lot of their students had more than 26 - 40 ish weeks of work experience. i personally will have 17 - 18 ish weeks of work experience by the time i apply (excluding the volunteering work i've done) and i feel like this isn't enough now. i know i'm limited by the word count for my personal statement so i can't write everything i loved and learned about my placements so i'm worried that they'll take one look at the amount of work experience i've gained and reject me straight away.

and another question, how recent does all my work experience need to be? i've been doing things for three or four years so i'm not sure if this 'counts' or not.

edit: and another question (sorry xD), am i going overboard if i ask farmers/vets for accommodation? i have a couple of friends who are already vet students (very jealous of them x3) and when i was discussing the problem of accommodation and travel to farms that are very isolated with them, they told me that they sometimes asked the farmers/vets for accommodation or a lift and they all agreed! i personally wouldn't feel right asking, but do you think i should?



Basically it is quality over quantity. Places do state a minimum (liverpools is the most, 10 weeks - 4 vet and 6 other), so most people aim for, and try to surpass, that. Which you have done, so I wouldn't worry on the quantity front. Next thing to look at is variety. Ideally you want vet placements (preferably a couple of places, ideally small, large and equine - but if not just what you can get). Then equine placement and farm work (lambing and dairy is standard). Then if you are able to have any 'extras' thats always good, pigs, chickens, zoo, kennels, wildlife etc etc. So assuming you have the basics of vet, equine and farm you should be ok. A lot of people when listing how much they have will have some long term placements, which are good, but can mean that actually it isn't as impressive as it sounds if most of their 40 weeks is a couple of days a week at a stables.

So, once you have the quantity and mix of stuff you need, then you need to show you have the quality. Have you just turned up and stood there for a week propping the wall up? Obviously it is hard to show what you have learnt in your PS, but it can be done. Succinct examples in your PS of things...understanding the financial constraints of farmers with vet treatment, seeing ethical dilemmas at a small animal vets of how far treatment should go, understanding the importance of husbandry with regards to health when you are feeding animals etc etc. Use a few examples. Too often people just list off things...during 2 weeks at a vets I saw spays, castrates and an amputation. Ok...did you just stand there and watch blindly? Or could it become...Seeing an amputation helped me understand the difficult decisions that vets have to assist their clients in making. That's just an example...but you get the jist of what I mean?


Accommodation wise - some farmers will provide accommodation and lifts, not all, but some will. I know students who have got a train/bus to somewhere nearby and then the farmer has picked them up each day and dropped them off in the evening. And a lot of places do have accom. Be prepared to work hard/long hours though if you are staying on the farm, and to help out a bit with meals etc. There is def no harm in asking...if they say no you're no worse off than before.
Original post by danoo
Hi, i sent off a letter to a local vet just over a week ago and have had no reply, I'm thinking of ringing them but dont know what to say. Any advice??


if it was a only a week ago, bear in mind that with the bank holidays and easter post will prob be a bit slow.

but...if/when you do ring them, just say that you are ringing to follow up on a letter you sent about work experience. ask who deals with placements and see if you can speak to them and see from there.... they will be used to having vet students/prospective vet students ringing up i'm sure!!
Reply 1118
Original post by kookabura
if it was a only a week ago, bear in mind that with the bank holidays and easter post will prob be a bit slow.

but...if/when you do ring them, just say that you are ringing to follow up on a letter you sent about work experience. ask who deals with placements and see if you can speak to them and see from there.... they will be used to having vet students/prospective vet students ringing up i'm sure!!


Thanks this is loads of help I'll wait another week before I ring I hope they give me a place!!!:biggrin:
thank you very much kookabura, all that was very helpful!

i have another question now but i'm not sure if this is the right place to post it x3 i want to get some experience at an abattoir and i've called one that a farmer recommended to me, however the contact at the abattoir said that they wouldn't offer placements any more and it was unlikely that any other abattoir would because of some secret filming that's been happening lately? i was just wondering whether anyone else was having this problem too or are there other abattoirs who are still offering placements anyway? thank you :3

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