Monday, January 13, 2003

Monday, January 13, Monday, January 13, 20032003• 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, Monday, January 13, 20032003• 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 100FW 100

Careers Careers in in

FisheriesFisheriesand and

WildlifeWildlife

Before I start…..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 & Careers in Fisheries & WildlifeWildlife

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 2 State Agencies– List 2 Federal Agencies– List 2 Private For-Profit Companies/Organizations– List 2 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 & Careers in Fisheries & WildlifeWildlife

What is a typical What is a typical job for students in job for students in the FW major?the FW major?

TYPICAL FW EMPLOYMENT?TYPICAL FW EMPLOYMENT?

– Warm Water– Cold Water– Lakes– Rivers– Marine

• Trout & Salmon• Walleye, Bass, Pike• Lamprey, Zebra Mussels

– Game– Non-game– Endangered Species– Wetlands & Waterfowl– Habitat

• Birds• Mammals• Amphibians & Reptiles

• Conservation Law Enforcement• Environmental Education• Zoos & Aquariums

• Management• Biology & Research• Retail

• Fisheries • Wildlife

ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONSENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS These positions typically require a Bachelor’s Degree

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 POSITIONSADVANCED POSITIONS These positions typically require an M.S. or Ph.D.

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 Where do you think FW think FW students are students are finding jobs?finding jobs?

EMPLOYMENT BREAKDOWNEMPLOYMENT BREAKDOWN

Public Sector

Private Sector

Nonprofit Sector Education

Wildlife 65 1 15 5 15

Fisheries 50 2 20 5 25

1 (30 % Federal, 35 % State & Local) 2 (25 % Federal, 25 % State & Local)

FEDERAL AGENCIESFEDERAL 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 BIOLOGISTSEMPLOYMENT OF BIOLOGISTS

Fish &WildlifeService

ForestService

GeologicalSurvey

NationalMarine

FisheriesService

Bureauof LandMgmt.

NationalPark

Service

FisheryBiologist 450 381 216 702 73 11

WildlifeBiologist 457 841 234 255 36

GeneralBiologist 1106 922 357

TOTALS 2013 2144 450 702 685 47

Source: Environmental Careers Organization

STATE AGENCIESSTATE 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 SECTORPRIVATE 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

NONPROFITNONPROFIT

• The Nature Conservancy• World Wildlife Fund• Trout Unlimited• Ducks Unlimited• Pheasant Forever• National Wildlife Federation• National Audubon Society• Michigan United Conservation Clubs

EMPLOYMENT LOCATIONSEMPLOYMENT 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 DO NOT LIMIT YOURSELF GEOGRAPHICALLY!!!!GEOGRAPHICALLY!!!!

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOKEMPLOYMENT 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 RESOURCESADDITIONAL RESOURCES

The Complete Guide to The Complete Guide to Environmental Careers Environmental Careers

in the 21st Centuryin the 21st Centurybyby

The Environmental Careers The Environmental Careers OrganizationOrganization

QUESTIONS??QUESTIONS??

• GOOD GRADES

• DEPARTMENT INVOLVEMENT

• SELECTING BENEFICIAL ELECTIVES

• EXPERIENCE

KEYS TO SUCCESSKEYS 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


• DEPARTMENT INVOLVEMENT

– CLUBS• Fisheries & Wildlife Club• Sportfishing Club

– ASSISTING FACULTY & GRADUATE STUDENTS•36 faculty members

– 100+ graduate students


• 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 SUCCESSKEYS 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

• you need references from major-related employers

– WILDLIFE» Game» Non-game» Endangered Species» Wetlands & Waterfowl» Habitat» Birds, Mammals, Amphibians &

Reptiles– CONSERVATION LAW ENFORCEMENT– ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION– RETAIL

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS???

FINDING FW FINDING FW EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYMENT• 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 PATHJIM’S CAREER PATH

BEFORE COLLEGEBEFORE 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 UNDERGRADUATE (1987-(1987-1991)1991)

• SPECIES– 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

• EMPLOYERS– UWSP– WI-DNR– US FOREST SERIVCE– GREENLAND PEREGRINE FALCON

SURVEY– R-ZOO GAME FARM– RESEARCH BIOLOGIST

• LOCATIONS– N. & C. Wisconsin– N. Michigan– Greenland

• VOLUNTEER• PAID

GRADUATE SCHOOL GRADUATE SCHOOL (1991-1994)(1991-1994)

M.S. Thesis: Winter Feeding and Nutritional Ecology of Columbian

Sharp-tailed Grouse in Southeastern Idaho

AFTER GRADUATE AFTER GRADUATE SCHOOLSCHOOL

• 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!!!!DO NOT LIMIT YOURSELF GEOGRAPHICALLY!!!!

Jim SchneiderJim Schneider• Academic Adviser for all students majoring in FW

• Office: Undergraduate Advising Center 40 Natural Resources Building

• Phone: 353-9091

• E-Mail: [email protected]

• Appointments: Call or use Adviser Scheduling System

• http://www.fw.msu.edu/

Documents

Monday, January 13, 2003