Victoria Giuffre
Hometown:
Education:
Apprenticeship: Veterinary Technician
Employer: Bridgton Animal Hospital
What drew you to your particular occupation?
I love animals and have always had a lot of them around. I like taking care of them and I especially like working with the "underdogs," animals with specials needs, that may be older, or have some other type of disadvantage.
What kind of training or experience did you have in your field prior to your Apprenticeship?
I always had a lot of pets around and starting in high school I worked part-time for a veterinary hospital and a kennel. Through college, I worked in a vet hospital and then took a full-time position after I graduated with a Music Industry degree.
What is a typical day in your occupation like? (ex. Early mornings, working with lots of people, etc)
I usually work 12 hours a day, 4 days a week. I do a little bit of everything in my job. I deal with patient care, in-house labs like blood tests, pharmaceuticals, radiology, and veterinary dental work.
What are some of the challenges of your job? Of Apprenticeship in general?
What do you wish you knew about Apprenticeship and/or your occupation before you started?
It's important to know that this industry has a huge turnover rate. It helps to find a balance between work and school, you can't let yourself lose sight of your personal needs.
How has/will your Apprenticeship contribute(d) to the progress of your career?
Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years career-wise?
I see myself becoming a licensed veterinary technician. I am already on the management track and I'd like to continue taking on more responsibility. I have to keep learning. Every day is a learning situation.
What was one of the selling points of Apprenticeship for you?
I take part in a distance-learning program in Veterinary Technology that is run out of Cedar Valley College in Texas. I really like web-based courses because they're
How has your Apprenticeship contributed to the progress of your career?
It allows me to take a hands-on approach and apply what I am learning from my classes.
