“The experience at Berry Vet Clinic is definitely worth the drive.”

For Liv, a veterinary nursing career did not begin with a straight line. It began with visual arts, hospitality, dog sitting, study, work placement and a growing sense that she wanted work that felt practical, useful and connected to real outcomes.

Today, Liv is part of the Berry Vet Clinic team, travelling from Wollongong to Berry because the role gives her the kind of hands-on career she was looking for. The drive takes around 45 minutes, with the Shell Cove clinic closer again. For some people, that commute would be a reason to look elsewhere. For Liv, the experience at Berry Vet Clinic is worth it.

Her story shows how a regional veterinary workplace can offer more than a job. It can offer structure, support, progression, team culture and a future that feels clear.

From Visual Arts to Animal Care

Liv has lived in Wollongong all her life. Before entering veterinary nursing, she studied visual arts at the University of Wollongong. She loved the creative side of art, but by the end of the degree, she did not feel like an arts career was the right long-term direction.

After university, she spent a few years working out what came next. During that period, she worked as a baker and chef. The work involved long hours and early mornings, but it taught her something that has carried into every role since: the value of a strong work ethic.

“When you show up, work hard and give properly to a workplace, good employers notice and give back,” she says.

That lesson became important when she later found Berry Vet Clinic.

Alongside hospitality, Liv also did dog sitting. That was the part of her week that kept pointing her toward animals. She enjoyed the connection, the care and the practical responsibility of looking after pets.

Finding a Practical TAFE Pathway

When Liv began thinking seriously about a new career, she wanted something fulfilling. She also wanted a study pathway that would not take too long before she entered meaningful work. Veterinary nursing made sense.

The TAFE pathway offered a practical route into a hands-on profession with clear purpose. That decision took Liv from visual arts into science. It was a shift she did not expect to enjoy as much as she did.

Where art had started to feel uncertain, veterinary nursing felt tangible. The learning connected directly to real animals, real clients and real outcomes.

For someone looking for a veterinary nursing career, that practical link between study and workplace experience mattered. Liv was not just learning ideas. She was building skills she could use in a clinic.

Starting at Berry Vet Clinic

While studying, Liv completed her work placement with Berry Vet Clinic. That placement opened the door to an opportunity with the team.

She started as a newly qualified veterinary nurse and has now been with the clinic for four years. Over that time, she has grown into a level 4.1 nurse and built confidence through hands-on work, team support and clear expectations.

Being goal orientated, that progression matters to Liv. She likes knowing where she is heading, what skill comes next and what she needs to do to keep improving.

“I am goal orientated, so that progression matters. I like knowing where I am heading and what I need to do next,” Liv says.

Berry Vet Clinic’s nursing levels have helped give her that line of sight.

“The nursing levels give you clarity. You know what level you are at, what the clinic thinks you are ready for and what goals you need to reach the next level,” she says.

Veterinary Nursing Career Growth with Clear Goals

For Liv, clear progression has made growth feel real. She does not have to guess what progress looks like. She can see it, talk about it and work toward it.

That kind of structure is important in veterinary nursing, especially for people who want more than a flat role. Regional careers are sometimes misunderstood as limited, but Liv’s experience shows how growth exists when a clinic invests in people properly.

At Berry Vet Clinic, she has found support for her development. The team is open to helping her grow, and the nursing structure gives her confidence that there is a pathway ahead.

“The more I have to do, the more I thrive,” she says.

That mindset has helped Liv turn a career change into a long-term pathway. Her veterinary nursing career is not standing still. It is growing with each new responsibility, skill and goal.

The Real Work of Vet Nursing

Liv is suited to the pace of the clinic. Veterinary work is busy. Phones ring, patients arrive, procedures run, clients need support and the day rarely follows a perfect plan.

For Liv, that pace works. She likes being hands-on and having work that keeps moving.

“It is not just about cuddling animals. There is cleaning, practical work, emotional clients and difficult days. You are caring for the animals, but you are also supporting the people who love them.”

That client side of the role matters. Owners are often stressed, worried or upset. They need calm communication as much as their animals need clinical care. Liv has learnt that veterinary nursing is a people role as well as an animal role.

“It is hands-on, emotional, practical and scientific. The work feels grounded because it connects to real animals, real clients and real outcomes,” Liv says.

For someone who moved from visual arts into veterinary nursing, that mix has given Liv a career that feels useful every day.

A Team Worth the Drive

One of the strongest parts of Liv’s story is that she is willing to travel for the right workplace. She lives in Wollongong, and getting to Berry takes around 45 minutes. The Shell Cove clinic is closer again, but the point remains: Liv values the experience enough to make the commute.

That says something important about employment value. People often think regional careers ask them to compromise. Liv’s story shows the opposite. When a workplace offers growth, support, clear goals and meaningful work, people will travel for it.

Another reason she stays is the team culture.

“I love the people I work with. The clinic is caring and supportive, with people who look out for each other,” she says.

That support matters on busy days and difficult ones. In veterinary work, team culture is not a bonus. It can shape whether people feel able to keep learning, stay resilient and continue building their career.

A Regional Career with a Future

Liv sees a strong future at Berry Vet Clinic. She likes being hands-on and wants to continue growing. In time, she sees the possibility of becoming a head nurse.

That ambition says a lot about the workplace. Liv is not looking at her current role as a stopping point. She sees a career path ahead of her, and she sees that path inside a regional clinic.

For people considering veterinary nursing, Liv’s story gives a realistic picture. The work is rewarding, but it is not soft or easy. It needs resilience, work ethic, cleaning, client care, technical learning and emotional strength.

It also offers a career full of purpose for someone who wants to keep learning.

Liv’s move from visual arts to veterinary nursing did not waste her past experience. It helped her understand what she wanted from work: something practical, fulfilling and connected to real outcomes.

At Berry Vet Clinic, she found it.

Four years in, Liv has grown from a new nurse into a developing senior team member with a clear future. Her story is proof that a regional veterinary career does not have to be narrow. With the right clinic, it becomes a pathway.

For more regional career context, explore the South Coast careers page, the Shoalhaven careers page and the Berry careers page. For external information, visit the Berry Vet Clinic official website, the Shell Cove Vet Clinic official website and the TAFE NSW Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing page.