During the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported more than 23 million American households – nearly one in five nationwide – adopted a pet. With the increase in the number of pets, the demand for veterinary care has surged.
Kent State University is helping to offset the veterinary technician shortage by providing in-demand, career-ready graduates. Kent State University at Trumbull recently hosted a veterinary technician information session promoting the Veterinary Technology program. Kent State’s accredited Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology program, offered at the Trumbull and Tuscarawas campuses, prepares students for careers in veterinary practices, animal hospitals and farms of all sizes.
“I’m hoping there isn’t a shortage in the future,” Melissa Best, director of the Veterinary Technology program at Kent State Trumbull, told The Vindicator. “I have these events to try to bring in as many students as possible to create as many vet techs as possible so I can send them out to the vet world and help all of the veterinarians and places that do have a vet shortage.”
Best explained that veterinary technicians are important as they are nurses for animals. She also said the current starting pay rate is between $16 and $18 per hour for local vet techs and is higher for vet techs in larger cities, emergency facilities and corporate facilities.
“Prior to COVID, students were being offered $13 an hour to start out of school,” Best told The Vindicator. “After COVID and the shortage, we’re finding these companies and these veterinarians or the corporate-owned (facilities) to have to offer more to kind of draw in more potential employees.”
Learn more about Kent State’s Veterinary Technology program.