Occupation Profile

Industries Employing
 

Veterinary Assistants/Laboratory Animal Caretakers
(SOC Code : 31-9096)
in California

Feed, water, and examine pets and other nonfarm animals for signs of illness, disease, or injury in laboratories and animal hospitals and clinics. Clean and disinfect cages and work areas, and sterilize laboratory and surgical equipment. May provide routine post-operative care, administer medication orally or topically, or prepare samples for laboratory examination under the supervision of veterinary or laboratory animal technologists or technicians, veterinarians, or scientists. Exclude "Nonfarm Animal Caretakers" (39-2021).

Employers usually expect an employee in this occupation to be able to do the job after Short-term on-the-job training .

Occupational Wages[Top]
AreaYearPeriodHourly MeanHourly by Percentile
25thMedian75th
California 20231st Qtr$20.15$18.12$18.81$22.14

View Wages for All Areas  About Wages
 

Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")[Top]
 AreaEstimated Year-Projected YearEmploymentEmployment ChangeTotal Job Openings
EstimatedProjectedNumberPercent
California 2018 - 202812,60015,3002,70021.425,240

View Projections for All Areas  About Projections
 

Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange[Top]
 
    Find a Zip code in California




Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)[Top]
Industry Title
Number of Employers in State of California
Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California
Other Professional, Scientific,21,55279.7%
Private Colleges, Universities, an1,4808.8%
Scientific Research and Developm10,1212.3%
Social Advocacy Organizations 11,8272.1%
Employment Services5,0961.2%

About Staffing Patterns
 

Data for Training Programs not available.

About Training & Apprenticeships
 

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)[Top]
Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)
Hold or restrain animals during veterinary procedures.
Clean and maintain kennels, animal holding areas, examination or operating rooms, or animal loading or unloading facilities to control the spread of disease.
Fill medication prescriptions.
Assist veterinarians in examining animals to determine the nature of illnesses or injuries.
Monitor animals recovering from surgery and notify veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.
Clean, maintain, and sterilize instruments or equipment.
Examine animals to detect behavioral changes or clinical symptoms that could indicate illness or injury.
Administer medication, immunizations, or blood plasma to animals as prescribed by veterinarians.
Educate or advise clients on animal health care, nutrition, or behavior problems.
Collect laboratory specimens, such as blood, urine, or feces for testing.

More Tasks for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers


Top Skills used in this Job
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others` actions.
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others` reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

More Skills for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers


Data for Abilities not available.

More Abilities for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers


Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)
Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

More WorkValues for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers


Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)
Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

More Interests for Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers

 
Related Links
LMI for Job Seekers
Local Area Profile
Compare Occupations
O*Net - The Occupation Information Network