Just curious as to what school you guys are attending and what your major is? Being in college myself and very passionate about the outdoors i'm trying to find the career that's right for me and that I will enjoy. Thanks!
I recently changed my major after a long time of debating...I was working on my B.S. in Small Business / Entrepreneurship @ University of Phoenix & after a lot of thought and some encouragement from my fiance I changed that to a B.S. in Environmental Science w/ a focus on fish and wildlife management @ American Public University. My fiance suggested I look into the degree because I was always showing her folders I create with different WMA's and public hunting land in my state. So she figured I spend all my time doing this anyway I might as well make a career out of it. I start in Nov. I'm stoked man. My advice to you is do what you love. Don't settle with just any old degree just to have one. I started with a degree in business because it's so broad and I really didn't know what else I was going to do. Iv'e always been business oriented so I jumped into that...I realized even though I look good in a suit'n'tie..I look and feel even better in Mossy Oak BottomLand camo...So the choice was cut and dry for me.
Brother...I went to school for Elementary Education and loved it, loved the teaching experience during my last year and hit the ground looking for jobs post-college. However, in the meantime I upgraded from Part Time to full time employment at our local county level assessors office till finding a teaching spot....never happened as my wife graduated without a full time job (also an El Ed major) I decided to continue pumping great government benefits into our family and allowed her the ability to get a aid job, the way to get a full time job that I couldn't do myself for benefit reasons. 5 years later....I'm one of two employees at a company which is contracted by both Local Government to help handle property assessment disputes as well as private clients in counties we aren't contracted in....and I'm going to be becoming a licensed Residential State Appraiser come 2015. Nothing I expected to be doing but am. All along the outdoors was my escape from the live which stresses and runs me down (despite the fact I do enjoy it for the most part)... ...would I love a job in the outdoors or in the sports/recreation world of the outdoors YES....but there is some serious golden lining to having it be an outlet and escape from the job that pays the bills. I will stop rambling with this thought with the final comment, and this one may or may not apply. If you are a Christian remember that there is no job you are called to be or do. School told me what to do for a living. Work helped me earn a living. But God gave me a reason to live. You are called to be YOU, not a job. Hold to that and brother I guarantee your hunting and life will be blessed.
Find a topic that interests you. You are not likely to find a career in the "outdoors" that is worth anything. Every other redneck kid out there wants that same career. Obtain a degree that will place you in a steady, well paying career. Enjoy the outdoors in your personal time. I obtained my degree in Environmental Science.
Schoolcraft Community College for now, goal is to transfer and then find some sort of engineering job.
man...I don't mean to hate on the Wildlife Management concentration, but there are so many better and more lucrative career paths with an Environmental Science degree.
I'm an environmental scientist for a consulting firm. Mostly deal with Oil & Gas environmental permitting (air and water) and environmental risk management. It can be interesting at time, and it can be mindnumbingly boring at times, but it is a solid career with plenty of other opportunities once you get a few years in. Environmental Science is too broad of a field for a standalone degree. Most colleges will ask you to have a concentration. My concentration was Geographic Information Systems (GIS). I'd recommend that, geophysics, hydrology or industrial hygiene as other good concentrations.
BS in Business Administration from Lindenwood University, I graduate in May. I love my current job, and hope that my education helps to further my chances of earning a full-time position.
And if any college is thinking about changing their major, I'd seriously consider majoring in Geology then obtaining a Masters in Geophysics. You are looking at six figures straight out of college with that education.
I've honestly never looked into anything else but I'd love to hear about it... how did you decided on your specialty..it's pretty specific.
I'm a biology (ecology and evolution emphasis) major at the University of South Dakota. A job in the outdoors would be nice, but it won't be a sticking point. A biology degree will keep that option open.
I obtained a minor in GIS. Hydrology, geophysics, industrial hygiene, wetland ecology and toxicology would all be quite beneficial as well.
I go to Northwest Missouri State. I first started in Wildlife ecology and conservation and didn't like it much. I then switched to what i am doing now which is Mass media with an emphasis on film production. I would love to follow my passion into outdoor film making.
