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The Importance of Soft Skill Development for Veterinary Technology Graduates and Veterinary Businesses

Author

Listed:
  • Danny Walker
  • Jason Roberts
  • Joey Mehlhorn

Abstract

Freshman veterinary technology students and practicing veterinarians were both surveyed to determine their perceptions of the importance of skills needed to be successful in a veterinary technology career. Questions focused on distinguishing between soft business skills and technical skills. Findings indicated that practicing veterinarians prized teamwork skills as the overall most important trait in a potential employee. Students rated the ability to work in a group as important, but not as high as management skills. Students did recognize the importance of soft skills such as communication and conflict resolution. These findings confirmed students have mixed perspectives on the importance of technical versus soft skills in the veterinary technology industry. Students indicate that they understand the importance of business related skills in the profession. It is important that educators work to develop graduates who add soft skills to the traditional technical skills they receive in their program. Industry professionals value soft skills and in a competitive environment for employees, it will be important to prepare students to become industry ready graduates.

Suggested Citation

  • Danny Walker & Jason Roberts & Joey Mehlhorn, 2015. "The Importance of Soft Skill Development for Veterinary Technology Graduates and Veterinary Businesses," Business and Economic Research, Macrothink Institute, vol. 5(2), pages 315-326, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:mth:ber888:v:5:y:2015:i:2:p:315-326
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    File URL: http://www.macrothink.org/journal/index.php/ber/article/view/8328
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Unknown, 2012. "2012 July, Volume 4, Number 1," COSBAE Newsletter, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, Committee on the Opportunities and Status of Blacks in Agricultural Economics (COSBAE), pages 1-4, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tilo Li & Mark Tsang & Marine Yeung & Eugene Li, 2017. "An Estimate of Major-job Relevancy and the Relative Importance of Professional Skills in the Workplace in Hong Kong," International Journal of Teaching and Education, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences, vol. 5(1), pages 36-53, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Veterinary technology education; Soft Skills; Career readiness;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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