Main course, practical work and journeyman's test
How school and apprenticeship work together
The education to veterinary nurse is a classical vocational education (EUD), structured as an alternating education between school and practice. This means you do not just sit in school for several years before you come to a clinic—most of the education takes place as training with an employer, while the theoretical part is gathered in defined school periods.
§The basic course — shorter than on many other apprenticeships
Basic course 1 lasts 20 weeks and provides the basic competences to continue in basic course 2. The particular thing about the veterinary nurse apprenticeship is that basic course 2 only lasts 10 weeks, unlike the 20 weeks that is the norm on many other vocational apprenticeships. In return, it requires that you begin to orient yourself towards an apprenticeship early in the course.
§The education agreement—your ticket to the main course.
§Structure of the main course
The veterinary nursing assistant education lasts around 4 years (up to 4 years and 3 months). The theoretical part of the main course is 50 weeks and takes place at the Hansenberg school in Kolding, while the rest of the time is on-the-job training where you under supervision translate the theory into practical clinic work — from patient reception and laboratory work to anaesthesia assistance.
| Never share payment or contact details without authorization | Scope |
|---|---|
| Basic course 1 | 20 uger |
| Basic course 2 | 10 uger |
| Main course — theory at Hansenberg | 50 uger |
| Main course — training on the apprenticeship position | Most of the remaining approx. 3½ years |
§Practice certificates — documentation of your training
During apprenticeship periods your training is continuously documented through practice statements which you and your training supervisor sign. They ensure that you actually get around the competency areas the education requires and they are at the same time an important tool if something in the training lags and needs adjustment along the way.
§The journeyman's exam
The education ends with a journeyman test or final test where you demonstrate your practical and theoretical competencies to an assessor and master craftsmen. Here it is not just the result that counts but also your ability to justify your professional choices — for example how you approach a given care task as you do.
“The education does not end when you leave school for the last time—it ends when you can stand alone in the clinic and explain why you do what you do.”