The Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) recently organised a round-table discussion at the University of Pretoria to address the profession-wide talent shortages in the veterinary sector in South Africa. The roundtable attended by veterinary students and various stakeholders in the industry, was held at the university’s Onderstepoort Campus (Faculty of Veterinary Science) and aimed to support the SETA’s purpose to transform and address the shortages of veterinarians in the country.
By Lebogang Mashala
The event aimed to address the critical skills shortage within the veterinary sector by advocating for increased participation of black students; to encourage and enlighten aspiring professionals about the myriad career opportunities available beyond traditional veterinary roles, including veterinary nurses, animal health technicians, and veterinary technologists.
The Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Buti Manamela, attended the roundtable. According to the SETA, there is an acute shortage of veterinarians in the country to cover the current demand for animal medical care. Manamela noted that the international norm is to have between 200 and 400 vets per million of a country’s population, while South Africa only has around 60-70 vets per million.
To address this shortage, it is crucial to educate aspiring veterinary professionals and ensure that the pipeline is full of passionate and practice-ready candidates. The Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) is committed to inspiring and supporting youth in various ways, including reducing the financial burden of veterinary education. These efforts are having a positive impact on the future of the veterinary profession by helping to create a more sustainable profession.
The Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) believes that it’s never too late to support passionate future veterinary professionals. The SETA is working to help animal-loving young people pursue lifelong veterinary and para-veterinary careers.
“The HWSETA offers our veterinary associates meaningful ways to give back to their communities and contribute to a better future for our profession,” said HWSETA Board Chairperson, Dr Nomfundo Nomsa Mnisi. “Providing positive experiences and role models for aspiring black veterinary professionals from under-resourced communities will help create a more diverse, inclusive, and unified veterinary profession. This, in turn, will enable us to serve more pets.”
Mnisi, who is also a veterinarian, told the attendees that there’s lots of fulfilment in the field. “It’s what attracted me and was a big part of my decision at an early age to pursue a career in caring for animals. I am incredibly proud that HWSETA is supporting these programs and caring for the future of veterinary medicine by supporting tomorrow’s professionals,” added Mnisi.
During the round table, attendees gained firsthand insight into veterinary medicine, education, and careers from current veterinary and para-veterinary professionals. They were also updated on public health, agricultural animals, wildlife, anatomy, imaging, and first aid, with programs including an array of species, ranging from domestic and farm animals.
