As a recent graduate (and with my pre-vet school years in mind), learning how to place an IV catheter as an assistant would have been terribly helpful for more efficient medical care for the patients, especially in high volume and emergency situations. Often times, IV catheter placement by an LVT/vet was a bottleneck in the flow of work, and the veterinary technician or veterinarian's expertise could be better applied elsewhere.

Another benefit of assistants trained to place catheters is that many assistants intend to pursue veterinary medicine to a higher level, and being trained in this will ensure an earlier, broader technical skill set for the applicant. It also has the potential to increase a sense of pride in one's work as an assistant and could increase retention- it can feel thankless to clean poo and fold laundry all day, and this is a skill that takes finesse and has a tangible benefit to the animal and the team.