Captive Wildlife Care and Education - Explore A Career 

•  Skills Needed
• Career Advice 
• Jobs Sites
• Position types 
• Where do alumni go after Unity? 
• Gift Ideas
• Graduate School Sites 
• Professional Associations 
  

This is a listing of skills that will supplement your college education. Develop them early!

Learn how to:

• Experience working with captive mammals, birds and fish
• Communication skills-written and oral
• First aid skill
• Group process games and activities
• Group dynamics-working with all ages
• Program writing, planning, implementing
• Interpretive skills-teaching experience
• Administrative skills-budgeting, supervising
• PR Skills - newsletter, news release writing
• Interpersonal skills & volunteer management
• Maintenance skills-hand tool use
• Learn to shoot - get a firearm certificate
• Develop strong computer skills

Operate vehicles

• Obtain a drivers license; learn to drive: standard transmission, pickup truck, van, 4-wheel drive, farm tractor, other farm equipment

• National Association for Interpretation Certification
• Wilderness First Responder/CPR
• Project Wild
• Project Learning Tree

• Nature photography
• Bird, animal watching
• Hunting, fishing
• Taxonomy
• Shooting
• These sports will increase your skills and make you more competitive for employment positions

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• ATTEND the Unity Career Fair - talk with the professionals in your field, conduct informational interviews
• TALK with upperclassman - where did they volunteer, intern, and find employment?
• ASK faculty, and CRC about Unity alumni who are employed in the wildlife care and education field. Call alumni who are working in an area you want to work; introduce yourself, let them know you are looking for advice, internship, job

• JOIN The American Zoo and Aquarium Association , National Association for Interpretation and/or National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association by your junior year.
• ATTEND area, state, regional, national wildlife conferences
• READ Any and all wildlife education related popular and semiprofessional magazines or publications that interest you. Wildlife Rehabilitation Today is one publication to check out.  Some of the articles are available on line.  If you find a subject or article intriguing, do some research on that subject in books or journals

More WEBSITES to check out Wildlife Rehabilitators Information Directory, The National Wildlife Health Center, The Humane Society, WildlifeRehabber.com 

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• AEE select "Jobs Clearinghouse" for listings of full-time, part-time, and seasonal job and internship opportunities in the experiential/adventure education field. Contains listings for jobs available both nationwide and abroad. A section devoted solely to internships.
  
  
• American Fisheries Society - List of full-time, part-time and internship positions for Wildlife and Fisheries majors.
  
  
• American Society of Animal Science - Provides listings through their database for full-time career information as well as an entire section dedicated to student internship information.
  
  
• American Wildlife Foundation - Opportunities to volunteer at the wildlife foundation in Molalla, Oregon.
  
  
• American Zoo and Aquarium Association Lists positions with zoo and aquarium jobs across the country
  
  
• Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (AEOE) provides listing of jobs at residential outdoor schools and other environmental education programs in California.
  
  
• Audubon Nature Institute - Endangered Species Internship Program in New Orleans, Louisiana as well as opportunities to volunteer.
  
  
• Ducks Unlimited Canada - Career opportunities and occasionally seasonal openings for research technicians.
  
  
• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation - Full-time listings and Internship opportunities in Washington D.C. and other locations across the United States.
  
  
• The National Parks Service - Paid Internship program at national parks all across the country, along with full-time listings and research positions.
  
  
• The National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association - Huge listing of full time employment and internship opportunities all over the United States.
  
  
• The Nature Conservancy - Internship possibilities at locations all across United States.
  
  
• New England Wildlife Center - Weymouth, MA - Opportunities for internships in Wildlife Medicine and Natural History. 
  
  
• Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research - Full-time career opportunities and summer internship program for wildlife rehabilitation in Delaware.
  
  
• US Fish and Wildlife Service - Career listings for full-time opportunities and student internship listings for entire United States.  Listing of offices click here http://www.fws.gov/offices/ 
  
  
• WildAid - Full-time job postings and world-wide volunteer opportunities.
  
  
• Wildlife Care & Education Sites (New England, New York and beyond)
  CRC list of New England & New York sampling of Wildlife Care & Education Sites. Which have jobs in the field.  Also useful use the "How to locate a Wildlife Rehabilitator" site to locate potential sites where you might consider volunteering or interning
  
  
• Career Resource Center's Job Webpage-Tons of other web links to jobs.

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When you are first becoming active in your field gain valuable experience by: 

• Joining the Unity Wildlife Club--get a group to volunteer on a wildlife care related project for the weekend.
• Volunteering a day or two at a time with professionals in the field. (It may take quite a bit of effort to be accepted as a volunteer - visit the zoo, rehabilitation center, wildlife care facility a few times.)
• Working or volunteering at a zoo, animal farm, animal shelter, animal rehabilitation center or pet store. Any position which gives you experience working with animals is valuable.
• Interning or volunteering--Try to get in on a basic internship or seasonal volunteer positions even if it is only for a few weeks. Use Job Listing sites above to find positions to apply for. 
  

Volunteering even half a day a week for the summer will provide you with valuable
experience. You may need to ask repeatedly before being taken on as a volunteer. 

When you have some experience and are looking for an internship of summer position:

• Seasonal, part-time and temporary positions
• Apply at the the places suggested as volunteer options; if you volunteered for the organization the previous summer or school break your chances of employment are greatly increased
• Intern or volunteer
• Try to get in on a basic internship or seasonal volunteer positions even if it is only for a few  weeks.     
• Become knowledgeable about your field.
• CONDUCT "informational interviews"; build contacts, network.

Remember it's all about NETWORKING. If you don't network how is anybody to know who you are and what you have to offer? Volunteering is where you are given the chance to schmooze with the professionals, use it wisely. This is where a lot of people get their first jobs.

Definition of "NETWORKING"- Introducing yourself to, and getting to know, people who might be able to tell you about a job. "An estimated 80% of all jobs are filled by word of mouth even though they may be advertised." The Career Search Handbook
 

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• Zoo Caretaker, City of New Bedford Buttonwood Park Zoo
• Ed. Tech III, Vine Street School
• Masters Zoology and Wildlife Science, Auburn University
• Zoologist, New York Natural Heritage Program
• Teaching Little Zoo on Wheels, Philadelphia Zoological Society
• Veterinary Tech., Animal Clinic of Windermere
• Animal Caretaker, U.S. Fish & Wildlife
• Masters of Education in Science Education, university of Maine

Visit the CRC and get contact information for alums so
you can get advice from former Unity students.

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If anyone asks what you would like for your birthday, Christmas, Chanukah, graduation etc. suggest the following

• Professional Association
• Membership
• Reference books 
• $$ to go to a relevant workshop or conference
• A wildlife care magazine subscription

• Binoculars
• Compass
• Camera
• Rain Gear
• Hiking Boots
  

Need some equipment in the meantime?  Stop by the equipment room in the OAC.  With a $20.00 refundable deposit you can take out equipment including canoes, backpacks, snowshoes, skis, wet suits and much more!

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• Gradschools.com - Zoology and Wildlife Science graduate program directory (by geographical regions).
  
• Unity CRC Graduate School info Page CRC webpage dedicated to graduate studies

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• American Zoo and Aquarium Association AZA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. (formerly was the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, AAZPA)
  
  
• Association of Professional Wildlife Educators The Association of Professional Wildlife Educators (APWE) was founded to foster communication, professionalism, and cooperation among those individuals who work with captive wildlife in educational programs through training, public display, research, husbandry, conservation, and peer education. APWE is committed to ensuring the proper and humane handling and care for captive wildlife, and to promote the most effective and responsible safety standards for both the public, and the captive wildlife participants.
  
  
• National Association for Interpretation (NAI) is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of the profession of interpretation (on-site informal education programs at parks, zoos, nature centers, historic sites, museums, and aquaria), with an emphasis on professional development and certification.
  
  
• National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association Organization for people who give care and medical treatment to injured, diseased and orphaned wildlife with the purpose of releasing them back into the wild

For more information about the Wildlife Care and Education degree at Unity College 
click here or you can talk with Assistant Professor Amy Darcangelo, Coordinator of Unity College's Wildlife Program

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