Monday, January 13, 2003
• Announcements / Questions
– Spring Study Abroad Fair
• Careers in FW
–
–
–
–
–
–
What kind of jobs
Who are the employers
Where are the jobs
Employment Outlook
Finding Employment
Keys to Success
• My career path
Monday, January 13, 2003
• Announcements / Questions
– Spring Study Abroad Fair
• Careers in FW
–
–
–
–
–
–
What kind of jobs
Who are the employers
Where are the jobs
Employment Outlook
Finding Employment
Keys to Success
• My career path
FW 100
Careers
in
Fisheries
and
Wildlife
Before I start…..
• Get into groups of 4.
• Introduce your self to your group
members.
• Get out 1 sheet of paper for your group.
• Put the names of the group members on
the paper.
Careers in Fisheries & Wildlife
As a group, on your piece of paper, come up with answers to
the following questions:
• What kind of positions are FW majors looking/applying for?
– List 2 different types of positions
• Where are FW majors finding jobs
–
–
–
–
List
List
List
List
2
2
2
2
State Agencies
Federal Agencies
Private For-Profit Companies/Organizations
Non-Profit Organizations
• What skills do FW majors need to be successful?
– List as many as you can think of.
• What do FW majors need to do during college to be
successful after graduation?
– List as many as you can think of.
Careers in Fisheries & Wildlife
What is a typical job
for students in the FW
major?
TYPICAL FW EMPLOYMENT?
• Management
• Biology & Research
• Retail
• Fisheries
–
–
–
–
–
Warm Water
Cold Water
Lakes
Rivers
Marine
• Trout & Salmon
• Walleye, Bass, Pike
• Lamprey, Zebra Mussels
• Conservation Law Enforcement
• Environmental Education
• Zoos & Aquariums
• Wildlife
–
–
–
–
–
Game
Non-game
Endangered Species
Wetlands & Waterfowl
Habitat
• Birds
• Mammals
• Amphibians & Reptiles
ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS
 These positions typically require a Bachelor’s Degree
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Fisheries Technician
Wildlife Technician
Fish Hatchery Technician
Park Naturalist
Conservation Officer/Game Warden/Park Ranger
Lake Management Specialist
Wildlife Research Assistant
Fisheries Research Assistant
Water Quality Specialist
Outdoor Educator
Foreign fisheries observer
Marine resources technician
Environmental specialist
ADVANCED POSITIONS
 These positions typically require an M.S. or Ph.D.

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Fisheries Biologist or Manager
Wildlife Biologist or Manager
Refuge Manager
Hatchery manager
District Biologist
Regional Biologist
Endangered species biologist
Marine biologist or ecologist
Professor
Wetlands ecologist
Ichthyologist
Limnologist
Where do you
think FW students
are finding jobs?
EMPLOYMENT BREAKDOWN
1
2
Public
Sector
Private
Sector
Nonprofit
Sector
Education
Wildlife
65 1
15
5
15
Fisheries
50 2
20
5
25
(30 % Federal, 35 % State & Local)
(25 % Federal, 25 % State & Local)
FEDERAL AGENCIES
• Department of the Interior
– Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Native American Tribes
– Bureau of Land
Management
– Bureau of Reclamations
– Fish & Wildlife Service
– Geological Survey
• Biological Resources
– National Park Service
• Department of Agriculture
– U.S. Forest Service
– Natural Resources Conservation
Service
– APHIS - Wildlife Services
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Army Corp of Engineers
• National Oceanic & Atmospheric
Administration
– National Marine Fisheries Service
EMPLOYMENT OF BIOLOGISTS
National
Marine
Geological Fisheries
Service
Survey
Fish &
Wildlife
Service
Forest
Service
Fishery
Biologist
450
381
216
Wildlife
Biologist
457
841
234
General
Biologist
1106
922
TOTALS
2013
2144
Source: Environmental Careers Organization
702
Bureau
of Land
Mgmt.
National
Park
Service
73
11
255
36
357
450
702
685
47
STATE AGENCIES
• STATE OF MICHIGAN
– Department of Natural Resources
–
–
–
–
–
Fisheries Division
Forest Management Division
Parks and Recreation Division
Land & Mineral Services Division
Wildlife Division
– Department of Environmental Quality
PRIVATE SECTOR
• Zoos & Aquariums
• Environmental Consulting Firms
• Paper Companies
• Georgia Pacific
• International Paper
• Boise Cascade
• Lake Management Companies
• Aquaculture/Fish Farm Businesses
• Fisheries and Wildlife related Retail Stores
• Cabela’s
• Bass Pro Shop
• Hunting/Fishing Guide Services
• Free Lance Writers, Photographers
NONPROFIT
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Nature Conservancy
World Wildlife Fund
Trout Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited
Pheasant Forever
National Wildlife Federation
National Audubon Society
Michigan United Conservation Clubs
EMPLOYMENT LOCATIONS
• Anywhere in the U.S.
– MSU-FW Alums have been
employed in:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Michigan
Florida
Colorado
Alaska
Hawaii
Washington
Wyoming
New York
Montana
Illinois
Missouri
Maine
• International
– MSU-FW Alums have been
employed in:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Australia
Canada
Italy
Kenya
Costa Rica
Morocco
Japan
DO NOT LIMIT YOURSELF
GEOGRAPHICALLY!!!!
EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
• The types of jobs most students want (FW
biologist/manager) you’ll need an M.S.
• BUT, there are expected increased employment
opportunities within the federal government
– U.S. Forest Service and Fish & Wildlife Service
expect close to 50% of their employees to retire in
the next 5 years
• which means an increase in entry level positions for
graduating students
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The Complete Guide to
Environmental Careers
in the 21st Century
by
The Environmental Careers
Organization
QUESTIONS??
KEYS TO SUCCESS
• GOOD GRADES
• DEPARTMENT INVOLVEMENT
• SELECTING BENEFICIAL ELECTIVES
• EXPERIENCE
KEYS TO SUCCESS
• GRADES
– 3.00 OR HIGHER GPA
• need to set yourself apart from all the other FW students
across the U.S.
• some companies will only hire students with a 3.00 or
better
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service can direct hire you if you have
a 3.50 GPA or higher through their Academic Excellence
program
• with a 3.50 GPA or higher can be considered for a higher
pay grade for many federal job opportunities
• generally minimum needed to be accepted to graduate
school
KEYS TO SUCCESS
• DEPARTMENT INVOLVEMENT
– CLUBS
• Fisheries & Wildlife Club
• Sportfishing Club
– ASSISTING FACULTY & GRADUATE STUDENTS
• 36 faculty members
– 100+ graduate students
KEYS TO SUCCESS
• SELECTING BENEFICIAL ELECTIVES
– Courses needed for certification
• The Wildlife Society
• American Fisheries Society
• Society of Wetland Scientists
– Courses needed for federal government biologist status
– Courses that look good on a resume
• GEO 221 - Introduction to Geographic Information (GIS)
• KIN 125 - First Aid & Personal Safety
– Other non-required FW courses
– Other natural resource courses
• Forestry, Resource Development, Parks & Rec., Botany,
Zoology
KEYS TO SUCCESS
•
EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE
– get as much major-related experience as possible
• helps you decide what aspects of this field you want to concentrate on
– FISHERIES
»
»
»
»
»
Warm Water
Cold Water
Lakes
Rivers
Marine
– WILDLIFE
»
»
»
»
»
»
Game
Non-game
Endangered Species
Wetlands & Waterfowl
Habitat
Birds, Mammals, Amphibians &
Reptiles
– CONSERVATION LAW ENFORCEMENT
– ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
– RETAIL
• you need references from major-related employers
QUESTIONS??
FINDING FW EMPLOYMENT
• FW Employment Email Listservs
– FW-JOBS
– http://www.fw.msu.edu/jobs/er_email.html
• FW Employment Websites
– Fisheries and Wildlife Employment Resources Website
– http://www.fw.msu.edu/jobs/er.html
• Employment Bulletin Board
– Outside Room 40 Natural Resources Building
• Internship & Summer Job Fair
– Held in the Spring, typically early February
– Attended by:
• FW Faculty & Graduate Student employers
• Other Michigan Natural Resource employers
JIM’S CAREER PATH
BEFORE COLLEGE
• Interest in FW started through my father
– hiking, camping, hunting, fishing
• Favorite TV Show
– Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom
• Host - Marlin Perkins
• I wanted a career that:
– would allow me to work outside
– I’d enjoy going to everyday
– would allow me to live comfortably
• Ultimate Job - Wildlife Biologist
– work with deer, elk, and bear
UNDERGRADUATE (1987-1991)
•
EMPLOYERS
–
–
–
–
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UWSP
WI-DNR
US FOREST SERIVCE
GREENLAND PEREGRINE
FALCON SURVEY
R-ZOO GAME FARM
RESEARCH BIOLOGIST
•
SPECIES
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•
black bears
prairie chickens
sandhill crane
white-tailed deer
wild turkey
•
parasitology
•
sharp-tailed grouse
Canada geese
peregrine falcons
Kirtland’s warblers
Cooper’s hawks
Saw-whet owls
LOCATIONS
– N. & C. Wisconsin
– N. Michigan
– Greenland
VOLUNTEER
PAID
GRADUATE SCHOOL (1991-1994)
M.S. Thesis: Winter Feeding and Nutritional Ecology of Columbian
Sharp-tailed Grouse in Southeastern Idaho
AFTER GRADUATE SCHOOL
• University of Maine
(1995-1997)
– Deer Nutrition
– Change in interests/values
• Penn State University
(1997-1999)
– Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs
• Michigan State University
(April 1999 – present)
– Specialist –Academic Adviser, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife
DO NOT LIMIT YOURSELF GEOGRAPHICALLY!!!!
Jim Schneider
• Academic Adviser for all students majoring in FW
• Office: Undergraduate Advising Center
40 Natural Resources Building
• Phone: 353-9091
• E-Mail: schne181@msu.edu
• Appointments: Call or use Adviser Scheduling System
• http://www.fw.msu.edu/