Careers in SWF?

[kev]

I'm 17, and I'm currently attending Texas A&M in Texarkana. I've been trying to find a field that intrests me for quite some time now. I've been looking all around for something that intrests me as much as SWF but have found nothing. I'm not worried about money at all really, as long as I'm doing something I really like. I think it would be cool to be a "fish collector." Or someone that goes out to the actual reef, and collects the fish for the aquarium industry. Does anyone here know how I could go about finding a job in this area. Like I said earlier, I'm not worried about the money.... As long as I can be around the ocean, and have something to eat everyday ill be fine...

 

[mikegronholz]

Gig 'em Ags !!! Two words my friend MARINE BIOLOGY !!! Tex A&M Galveston has one of the BEST marine biology reputations in the country !!!

 

[jarre]

Mike is on the money!! Start getting the wetsuit!! LOL

 

[clarkiiboi]

Gotta agree, you will probably get a few BS classes you have to take (who I am kidding---ALOT), but if thats what you are into go for it!!! That will make you happy and you'll want to learn. Check out the variations of that program if you choose it, and see if anything interest you---I'm sure you'll find something.

 

[fshhub]

If you are not worried about the money,
GO FOR IT, marine biology is a fun and exciting carreer adn would make you happy, but do not expect to get rich from it. Some do make money at it, but the field is highly populated and many of them do not make alot. But, we should all be so happy(with or without money). I opted not to go for it, b/c the money,and now wish I had anyway. I would be happier, may have less exotic toys, but happier.

 

[sebae0]

i agree i'm still kicking myself in the a@@ for not going after my first love of marine biology. now im stuck in a 9 to 5. go for it while your young, they say as long as your happy it doesnt matter how much you make if you love your job....

 

[cuppycake]

There's money to be made in anything. People who last the longest in their jobs and are the healthiest in life are the people who are passionate about what they do. Making your hobby your career is great! Go for it!

 

[iechy]

Definately find something you like now before you have a family and other obligations. If you start a career you don't like it will be hard to change once you are tied down and you'll be miserable.
LSU has a marine biology program with a marine consortium on the gulf you may look into. HTH GL

 

[justlooking]

how much do they make

 

[ilove2ride]

I heard $25,000 a year... higher for PhDs

 

[incognito]

Money doesn't matter. If I could do it over, I would go into Marine Biology, but that field is pretty limited in Milwaukee. Ended up with a Doubel major in Marketing and MIS from UWM. Now I am a coder dreamin gof fish all day. Follow the dream my friend.

 

[canadian1]

i am in the same situation you are. I am 17 and live in canada and the only thing i am really really intersted in is fish. I live in Toronto and no ocean around here. I don't no what to do and have to choose soon. it is really hard because i don;lt want to do somthing that i will regret in years to come.
Josh

 

[iechy]

Listen to incognito. My wife and I both make pretty good money but if I could go back and be a zookeeper or marine biologist or something I enjoyed more (not that I hate my job) I'd do it in a second. Once I started making money I realized that it wasn't as important to me to have it as it was to reach the goal I had set to make it. Now I will be doing this for THE REST OF MY LIFE instead of something that I really love.

 

[maroonclownfan]

Think about it.......we spend half our lives at our jobs....might as well enjoy it. You have your whole life ahead of you. If it doesn't work out (moneywise), what did you really lose??? Nothing, you will have gained a wealth of knowledge to carry with you forever.
Do it now while you are young. It gets harder once a family is in the picture.
I recently graduated from college and like what I do, but can't wait to branch out and start my own business. Only a matter of time! It is alot easier to put in long hours when you love what you do.
Good luck.........MCF

 

[ctm474]

Major in biology and you can go anywhere from there. When I first got to school I wanted to be a marine biologist but by my second year I switched it in favor of zoology. I've worked at several zoos around the country as an animal care specialist (fancy name for zookeeper). It's a great field and I love my job, unfortunately the pay isn't spectacular but it is about double your original guess of 25K. I really can't imagine doing anything else.

 

[justlooking]

50k a year? Thats not exactly a small salary. And to do something you like? Your getting almost double the national HOUSEHOLD average in terms of pay AND you like your job. What could be better!! Big difference between 25k and 50k

 

[ctm474]

What I meant was the salary isn't high if you compare it to other fields involving a biology major. You''l find that most people with a major in biology make 6 figures. It's a good major because it's open ended, for instance, I could go back to school and become a DVM....although school is the last place I want to go back to right now. A&M is a great school by the way.

 

[ddaddy]

Wow this post has been really interesting to me! I'm 16 and on the same boat as a couple others. I'm planning on majoring in Biology at UW Stevens Point and getting special emphasis on marine biology

 

[randolph]

as young as you are stay in school and do something good. i
couldn't wait to get out of school and get to work. been doing
construction about 15 years, now at 45 years old making 75k gross doing ******** trim work, BUT the body is talking to me louder and louder. my dream would be to own a lfs. you have to
think long term. what do you want to be doing when your 45.

 

[fmarini]

sammie brings up a few good points.
That graph reflects mainly Ph.D. level scientists
I can't say exactly for the marine sciences, i do have a ffew friends in that field but they have Ph.D.s, but I suspect its similar to what my situation was as a new molecular biologist
Fresh out of college w/ a Bs or BA work should be plentiful in the field, almost all research scientists need research assistant and lab technicians. These jobs are hard to fill, mainly becuz they pay poorly and they expect you to work alot. That 25K is prolly a little high for a first yr out of school student.
Once you get a few yrs experiences in the lab expect 3-4K more a yr. If you go on an get a masters or Ph.D don't expect the salary to double, It doesn't.
Most scientist have to provide their own salary thru grants, most if mot all of the finding is thru the govt or a private firm. My marine biologist friend just got sponsored by PBS to dive and recover some artifacts. Shes totally stoked becuz PBS doesn't have a budget restriction as the govt grants do. I digress
What is important is how you feel towards your work and what type of satisifaction you derive from it. You gotta love your work....Thats the bottom line