We have been delighted that veterinary practices and animal welfare organisations throughout England, have chosen to enrol their staff onto our customer service apprenticeship programmes over the past few weeks.

There are now just four weeks left to take advantage of nationwide free customer service training for receptionists. Remember apprenticeships incorporate the City & Guilds Diploma in Work-Based Customer Service (formally NVQ) and are not just for new members of staff; people with varying levels of experience may choose to undertake an apprenticeship to consolidate their skills and knowledge into a formal qualification. The level 2 qualification is suitable for all staff who have regular contact with customers, whilst the level 3 qualification is aimed more at senior receptionists and team leaders.

The training can be started at any time and there is no need for students to attend College as support will be provided by an allocated college assessor who will keep in touch by phone, email and regular visits to your place of work.

In order to qualify for free apprenticeship training, staff must be employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week and cannot already hold a Level 4 or Higher Education qualification i.e. degree. Unfortunately funding is only available in England.

Free Apprenticeships in Animal Care and Horse Care are also available during this time period.

For further information please contact us.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) have appointed Nick Stace into the new role of Chief Executive and Secretary; he will take up this post on 3 September 2012.

A long-standing consumer champion, Nick Stace leaves CHOICE, Australia’s equivalent of consumer group Which?. Nick has also held the post of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Director of Strategic Communications.

“I am delighted that Nick Stace will be joining the College”, said RCVS President Jerry Davies. “With his impressive track-record, I believe that we have a Chief Executive who will lead the College into a new phase of modernisation and development”.

Nick Stace says: “It is an enormous privilege to be leading an organisation that seeks to ensure Britain has the best vets in the world. I look forward to helping the College continue to improve veterinary standards across the country and to lead the College through its next stage of development.”

The role of Chief Executive and Secretary is a new one – previously the Registrar led the executive of the College.

RCVS Day – the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Annual General Meeting and Presentation of Awards – will be held on Friday 6 July at the Royal College of Physicians, London.

All members and listed/registered veterinary nurses are invited to attend the day, which will start at 10am with AGM business. Honours will then be awarded, along with Fellowships, Diplomas and veterinary nursing and RCVS Charitable Trust awards:

Dr Jerry Davies will chair the AGM in his last official engagement as President. He will formally welcome new members of RCVS Council and VN Council and give a review of his busy year, before handing over to Mrs Jacqui Molyneux who will serve as President for 2012-2013.

The morning will end with a talk entitled ‘Toads and Tamanduas – a Career in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine,’ given by Mr Graham Crawshaw, Senior Veterinarian at Toronto Zoo.

For tickets, which are free and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, please contact Fiona Harcourt at the RCVS on f.harcourt@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0773.