Certificate in Veterinary Medical Assistant

at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Canada

An animal health technologist (Veterinary technologist) is a valuable member of the animal health-care team who performs a large range of tasks, such as nursing care, diagnostic procedures and client interactions, to assist veterinarians in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease in animals. The program focuses on practical skills used in both small and large animal practices, including lab work, radiographs and medical and surgical nursing.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant training

You can expect to spend, on average:

•     30 hours per week attending classes over the course of a semester
•     8 to 10 hours per week studying and completing class assignments

You’ll train in NAIT’s Animal Health Clinic, which provides basic veterinary services for dogs and cats owned by NAIT staff and students. It’s here where you’ll receive hands-on experience in procedures that include spays and neuters, vaccinations and teeth cleaning.

As an Animal Health Technology student, you must handle ill or injured animals of all shapes and sizes. You’ll travel to farms and animal hospitals and treat more than just dogs and cats. To be successful in this program – and career – having a genuine interest in the treatment of all animals is a must!

Do you want to create change within your organization? Have you dreamt of becoming your own boss?

The Business Administration – Entrepreneurship and Innovation diploma program fosters an entrepreneurial mindset and will help you develop the knowledge and skills you need to become an innovator. 

Our courses have been designed to help you pursue a career path that is right for you. You will be equipped for your chosen venture, whether a for-profit business, social enterprise, or as an entrepreneur within an innovative organization.

Captioners and court reporters are highly skilled professionals who can capture speech at speeds of 225 words per minute (wpm) and higher. Using an electronic shorthand machine and sophisticated computer technology, reporters translate a conversation virtually simultaneously to the printed word.

Being a captioner or court reporter is a profession like no other. It is exciting to meet the challenges when no 2 days are alike and when you learn new and fascinating information every day.

NAIT offers the only captioning and court reporting program in western Canada to be approved by the National Court Reporters Association - a 35,000 member organization based in the United States. Consequently, the program is well-regarded and graduates obtain employment not only across Canada and the United States, but around the world.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant skills
In the Captioning and Court Reporting program, you will learn how to write machine shorthand at 225 words per minute (or faster). This will allow you to work as a court reporter, Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) provider or broadcast captioner.

You can expect to learn and develop:

• The ability to write machine shorthand verbatim at 225 words per minute with 95% accuracy
• Proficiency with computer-aided transcription software
• Comprehensive English skills
• An extensive understanding of criminal and civil law
• Interpersonal and leadership skills

NAIT’s Materials Engineering Technology Program prepares students for a diverse and rewarding career in their profession. Our graduates have employment opportunities in a wide variety of industrial settings including oil and gas, chemical processing, mining, construction, pulp and paper and research and development.

A Materials Engineering Technologist is an important member of the engineering team. Our curriculum has been developed in close co-operation with industry leaders ensuring our students have relevant hands on experience and theoretical instruction. They will have a working knowledge of the properties and behavior of engineering materials in a range of environments.

A Materials Engineering Technologist’s expertise is sought after by industry for their understanding of metals, polymers, ceramics and composites. Technologists give advice in material selection, asset and integrity inspections, weld inspections and fabrication. In laboratory settings they are involved in research and development, failure analysis and material testing. Many of our Alumni have gone on to start their own successful businesses and employ our graduates.

Graduates from this program will satisfy the academic requirements and be eligible for membership with The Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals (ASET) and other ASET affiliated associates. With emphasis on engineering fundamentals combined with high-tech equipment and analysis techniques, the program provides the flexibility and portability of skills required by mechanical engineering technologists. Design concepts, process planning and analysis techniques are studied and students receive sound supporting theory from courses such as Dynamics, Design of Machine Elements, Drafting and CAD, Plant Engineering and others.

Prospective students usually have an appreciation for engineering principles with a strong leaning toward creativity and practicality. To be successful, graduates must possess:

• Sound people and personal skills, including working as a team player
• Effective listening and written communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Personal initiative
• Professionalism with colleagues and customers
• A commitment to lifelong learning
• A mechanical aptitude to assist in problem-solving and design

This program is designed to prepare graduates for rewarding careers in a wide range of industrial and government positions. Our students are employed in all aspects of Alberta industry that use or sell machinery. The majority of graduates get jobs in industries related to oil and gas, agriculture and wood products. Students with a journeyman background are particularly employable.

Careers that leave a lasting impact
Have a passion for building? Civil Engineering Technology is a 2-year diploma program or 2-and-a-half year co-op diploma program through which you’ll learn how to design and manage construction, infrastructure and research projects.

Our curriculum has been developed with industry input to ensure we cover all of the theoretical and practical elements that are essential within the broad field of civil engineering. With the help of hands-on learning and supportive, experienced instruction, you’ll apply computer-aided design & drafting (CADD) systems to civil engineering problems in the areas of:

• Structural design
• Urban services design
• Highway design
• Pavement design
• Geotechnical design
• Project management
• Applied research

NAIT's Bachelor of Technology degree is the only program of its kind in Alberta and one of just a few similar programs in Canada. If you've graduated with a recognized 2-year technology diploma, the BTech program offers the opportunity to earn a baccalaureate degree with 2 additional years of study.

The BTech degree has been developed to help you bridge the gap between the job you started as a technologist and a career in management. We've received industry demand for leading-edge technologists who have the technical theory, innovative skills, and ethical and social awareness required for sustainable industry. We have also been challenged to prepare critical-thinking practitioners who are able to address technological challenges in today's economy.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant skills
In the Bachelor of Technology (BTech) program, you'll build on your strong technical background, adding leadership and critical-thinking skills you'll need to take on management and supervisory roles. You'll gain a global perspective, focusing on social, economic and environmental issues.

You'll also develop skills in:

• Innovation, transition and change management
• Effective multi-media communications
• Planning and strategy development
• Staffing and supervision
• Critical thinking and problem-solving

Veterinary medical assistants provide support to clients, animal health technologists and veterinarians. Duties may include administration, animal handling and support with nutritional and pharmaceutical products. They also assist with record keeping and other clinical procedures and tasks.

This 1-year certificate program will provide you the skills and confidence you’ll need to work in a front-line position as a veterinary medical assistant in private veterinary clinics, livestock centres and animal shelters. In addition to classroom instruction, you’ll get in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience in animal clinics across Alberta.

Good attention to detail? Thrive on a fast pace and heavy workload? These are important traits of people interested in this program. If you are a people person and enjoy helping them with their animals, this program is a good fit for you.

What You Will LearnCareer 
Hands-on, industry-relevant training
To work as a veterinary medical assistant, you will need to have a genuine interest in animals and their welfare. It’s important to understand that you will need to be comfortable working with a variety of animals, both large and small.

After a year of classroom instruction, your clinical placement will give you hands-on experience at an animal clinic where you’ll get a taste of what your future career could look like. Travel may be necessary as some placements are outside of Edmonton.

You will also regularly support the animal health technologists at the NAIT Animal Clinic. 

As a student in the program, you can expect to spend on average:

• 26 hours per week attending classes over the course of a semester 
• 15 to 20 hours per week studying and completing class assignments

With NAIT's Bachelor or Business Administration (BBA), your classes will have a business focus from day 1.
Because many professional associations require a degree before they will grant a designation, a business degree is a great way to further your career potential. Earn a general BBA by completing core courses and your choice of electives or declare an emphasis in the following subjects:

• Accounting
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Finance
• Human Resource Management
• Management
• Marketing

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant skills
Hands-on expertise with leading software applications and business processes set BBA grads apart. The degree focuses on experiential learning, including the use of simulations, interactive case studies and applied research assignments. Critical thinking, communication and teamwork skills are also key objectives.

Practical education, small classes and a welcoming environment make the JR Shaw School of Business the ideal place to start or continue your business education.

Technology
Business and technology are linked in today's work environment. The School of Business prepares students for success by integrating mainstream technology into our teaching tools and assignments.

The JR Shaw School of Business highly recommends our students acquire and make use of a computer (laptop or tablet*) in and away from the classroom in order to successfully engage and complete JR Shaw curriculum.

Your computer will be used to access key learning resources critical to your success in the program and therefore must be in good working order. It is also important to have a battery with sufficient life to allow for use when a plug-in is not available; as your battery should be able to last throughout your daily schedule/classes.

The Digital Media and IT (DMIT) program is multi-disciplinary in its approach. Spanning a range of career opportunities from business analyst to visual designer, this innovative program allows you the ability to meet industry demand while developing skills aligned with your individual talents and inclinations.

The Digital Cinema area of emphasis gives you real world, hands-on experience that will allow you to not only learn about filmmaking but also become a filmmaker and creative entrepreneur.

Hands-on, industry-relevant skills:-
DMIT - Digital Cinema courses prepare you for the creative, technical and business aspects of the rapidly growing digital cinema industry while also introducing you to industry organizations and professionals that can assist you in launching your career.

Our in-depth and industry-directed courses will help you identify original stories and teach you how to plan, script, budget, film and edit these stories to deliver finished narrative fiction and non-fiction productions. Through all four levels, you will be mentored by award-winning industry professionals.

For aspiring producers, content creators and technical craftspeople, the Digital Cinema area of emphasis is highly focused on the business side of digital screen production. You will have the opportunity to develop your own transmedia production while developing a business plan that includes financing, casting and all five phases of production.