Olly King has experienced first-hand how reluctance to change the way a practice runs can cripple employees' happiness and erode business's bottom line. He has set out to help others understand how involving the whole team, being innovative and being willing to make changes, can create people-first cultures that co-nurture team and business success.

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Sarah Freeman and Katie Lightfoot, have both been working on student engagement at Nottingham vet school. The 'Stable Footing' initiative has been pivotal in opening up the door to career paths in equine practice. By breaking down the barriers which are invisible to so many of us already in the field, this team have made it an inviting, accessible and welcoming route to take, with equal opportunities and even funding available for those who need it. If we want to see the equine profession thrive going forwards, we all have a duty and responsibility to invest in the future workforce, and this starts with students 'seeing-practice'. How we interact and engage with students can be the 'make or break' for whether they choose a career in equine or not. Our actions could be putting off our best colleagues of tomorrow, but the good news is, there are simple ways we can avoid being 'that person'. Shining a light for those who come after you can be as rewarding for you as it is for the person you are helping.

On Saturday 29th April 2023, World Veterinary Day will be celebrating 'EDI'. For those who don't know, this stands for equality, diversity and inclusion. But what does EDI look like in equine practice, and perhaps even more importantly how can you identify its absence? Council member Sophie Eaden discusses the topic with Adeel Khan and James Whitmore.

A rundown of the most important news from the last month that you need to know as an equine veterinary professional.

Further information on each news item can be found at the following links: 

• Equine Disease Surveillance EHV report

Other links:

• Full list of BEVApod episodes

Florrie Clark, 4th year vet student at Cambridge, talks to us about how students are desperate for the opportunity to hone their skills in equine, which they feel lag behind their small animal skills. While the disparity is 'the nature of the beast', with a bursting curriculum and the difficulty of getting 'hands on' during equine EMS, there are plenty of other skills to be practiced and opportunities to be had. Observing procedures, working with the nurses, understanding case management and talking to clients, are all just as valuable. The key for new graduates and their employers and colleagues, is accepting the different starting point to that of a small animal vet. Nuturing confidence should be a priority, and can be done in the right environment with the right people. We all need to take up that gauntlet in order to create a profession which people want to be part of.

Connor Fettes, a third year mature student, has encountered first-hand the challenges students are facing trying to achieve their EMS goals. With pressure on all sides, equine practice is feeling the consequences of being squeezed out of the curriculum. By making equine EMS more accessible and a better experience for all involved, can we use it to future-proof our profession?

Connor's FREE TO JOIN (and not for profit) EMS Database for students and practices.

Mel Lean was leading a glamorous life in London when she fell in love with the equine veterinary industry. Having realised her dream, she got the bit between her teeth, overcame the challenges thrown at her, and made it happen. It might not be the conventional path but it was the right path for her, and with a penchant for networking and modest determination, it paid off.

Flexible working can seem incompatible with equine practice... but maybe it isn't. As one of the most important factors influencing employment across the board, can equine practice learn to embrace the concept in a way that works for businesses and the workforce?

Flexee Hub

A rundown of the most important news from the last month that you need to know as an equine veterinary professional.

Further information on each news item can be found at the following links: 

• RCVS fee increases 

Gayle Capps discusses her experience as a coach on the BEVA Leg Up Scheme, and why coaching can be valuable to both coach and coachee.