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Boost Your Professional Profile - An AVT Graduate's Guide

AVT graduate guide - post nominals

Making the most of your Qualification

If you’re a recent graduate of an AVT qualification, now is the perfect time to highlight your accomplishments. Whether you’re starting out or advancing in your career, taking a few key steps can help elevate your professional presence. From updating your LinkedIn profile to enhancing your resume and adding post-nominals, we’ll guide you on how to make a lasting impression.

Step 1: Update your Linkedin profile

Vet nurse graduates and animal care graduates linked in steps to get a job

LinkedIn is a powerful professional network that can significantly boost your career prospects. 

As a graduate of AVT, you have gained valuable skills and knowledge that make you a standout candidate in the animal care industry. By adding your qualification to your LinkedIn profile, you’re not only validating your achievements but also enhancing your professional image.


Updating your Profile

This guide will walk you through the simple steps to showcase your AVT qualification.

  1. Create or visit your profile on LinkedIn and scroll down to ‘Education’
  2. Click on the plus symbol
  3. Fill in the following fields:

School: Start typing “Applied Vocational Training” and select the result with the AVT logo.

Degree: Type in your qualification:

    • Certificate II in Animal Care
    • Certificate III in Animal Care Services
    • Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
    • Certificate IV in Animal Behaviour and Training

Optional – Field of Study: Add a specialisation if applicable, for example:

    • Vet Nurse Pathway
    • VETDSS
    • Health and Welfare
    • RSPCA Program

Start and End Dates: Choose the month and year of your course.

    4. Click ‘Save’

Step 2: Use post-nominal letters

Post-nominal letters are the official abbreviation of a qualification title. Post-nominal letters are often used after a graduate’s name to indicate that they hold a specific degree or a level of education that is relevant to their profession. You might use this abbreviation in your email signature, resume, on a business card or letter, or in any formal communication. 

For example, if Josie Burt successfully completes a Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing qualification and uses post-nominal letters in her email signature. Her name would be noted as: 

  • Josie Burt, CertIVVn

You can only use post-nominal letters after you have received official notification and certification from AVT.

 

AVT post-nominals (or qualification abbreviations)

The following table provides post-nominal letters for AVT graduates of our nationally recognised qualifications:

 

AVT Qualification Post-nominals
Certificate II in Animal Care
CertIIAnimCare
Certificate II in Animal Studies
CertIIAnimStud
Certificate III in Animal Care
CertIIIAnimCare
Certificate III in Animal Care Services
CertIIIAnimCareServ
Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing
CertIVVn
Certificate IV in Animal Behaviour and Training
CertIVAnimBehTrain

FAQs for using post-nominals

 

How do I recognise the training provider or institution where I studied?

It is common practice to name the awarding institution after your qualification. To avoid confusion, we recommend adding the institution in italics. For example: Josie Burt, CertIVVn AVT

If you hold more than one qualification from AVT, you can just list it after all noted qualifications as shown below. 

I have more than one qualification, in what order should I display my qualifications?

In line with several universities offering animal related courses, we recommend listing the highest honour or qualification level first. For example, Kelly Smith CertIVVn, Cert IIAnimCare AVT

Step 3: Update your resume

Don’t forget to update your resume. Include both your qualification details and post-nominals on your resume. 

Adding your qualifications to your resume highlights the skills and knowledge that make you a strong candidate for a future job. It allows potential employers to quickly assess your expertise and how well you meet the job requirements. Including your qualifications can set you apart from other candidates, demonstrating your commitment to professional development and your ability to contribute effectively to the role.

Step 4: Tell the world: "You are Nationally Accredited"

The best part about completing a nationally recognised qualification (that’s any of our courses starting with an ACM course code such as ACM20121 Certificate II in Animal Care) is that you are now nationally accredited or sometimes referred to as nationally recognised. This is because you have completed a course assessed by ASQA (Australian Government, Australian Skills Quality Authority) and that meets the Australian Qualification Framework. 

What does this mean for you?

  • If you run a consultancy or small business, you can mention your qualification in your marketing and promotional materials (e.g. website about us page, or Instagram bio, or even use hashtags in your posts) that you have completed a nationally recognised qualification.
  • If you are applying for a job in the animal care industry, you can state that you are nationally accredited in your area of study.
  • If you are looking to further your study pathway in a related field, you can include the details of your qualification in your application, maybe even request recognition of prior learning or confidently meet a prerequisite where a specific qualification is required.

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