AMTRA Harper Adams employers and trainers collaboration day

On 26 July 2023, AMTRA and Harper Adams University invited a a range of employers and other stakeholders to come together at the Harper Adams campus to discuss the journey so far and look to the future for the AMTRA RAMA/SQP training and qualification.

Improvements to processes that have been made as well as further improvements planned were discussed. Over the past 18 months, over 40 improvements have been made with a mood of "you’ve said, we did", with a determination to continue to learn, adapt and get even better. More candidates successfully complete their online assessments than did when exams were pen-and-paper.

The "trainers pack" which the team at Harper have worked on was highlighted. This includes a marking rubric, essay guide and practice paper among many things. 

Future plans for revision of the training manual and syllabus, and possible adaptations to the level 4 exam to make it more accessible and robust were discussed. We also looked at ways to develop the role, qualification suite, and potential career path of AMTRA RAMAs, as well as plans for CPD. 

Our goals continue to be to make the qualifications and the processes around them meet changing standards and expectations, of the candidates themselves, of employers, but also of the wider animal-owning sector, the veterinary profession, and the VMD. We also want to make sure that the suite of qualifications meets a broadening role for RAMAs in animal care, that we are agile to meet the needs of those we work for, and that what we offer can stand up to the ever-changing landscape.

Feedback has been positive and both Harper and AMTRA are keen to capitalise on the enthusiasm and look forward to what is planned next.