Hi! I’m currently a junior in college majoring in business and accounting. I’ve always wanted to work with animals and in environment conservation but I couldn’t study a subject in those areas as my school doesn’t have a major relevant to those subjects. Does anyone in the field have any advice as to how I can work towards a career in that field, working hands on or even on the business side of a nonprofit conservation group? Are there any online programs outside of university that could help with experience and boost my resume? Anything helps. Thanks!
Questions about career in environmental conservation
- Thread starter Camich
- Start date
I'd recommend you to get into a profession that doesn't kill you or your soul and lets you earn a nice deal of money. In your spare time, you can invest a good chunk of that money and your energy in already existing serious and efficient environmental conservation projects. And you can join organisations such as Citizen Conservation and help breed endangered species privately.
Like Batto, best is perhaps to study a normal good job, and support conservation as a charity. I know people who do accounting for charities on a semi-voluntary basis, or for the price much lower they charge normal clients.
You can also learn enter the conservation field this way. If you like it, you can do part-time conservation proper, too. Conservation jobs are usually poorly paid, with limited job security, repetitive and physically tough, much unlike the media image of a field biologist.
You can also learn enter the conservation field this way. If you like it, you can do part-time conservation proper, too. Conservation jobs are usually poorly paid, with limited job security, repetitive and physically tough, much unlike the media image of a field biologist.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Sadly, I must admit that until there are drastic changes across the board in the conservation world I am inclined to agree with what Batto and Jurek have already said.
Adding to this I would reccomend avoiding the academic "conservation" route entirely and to focus on gaining direct real world experience through volunteering in your spare time (NOT paid "internships" though).
Moreover, I would suggest that if you do decide to volunteer or contribute money through donations to organizations that you do a lot of research about these prior to doing this and make sure that the money you part with is going to the right place.
Lastly, when donating money it pays to consider the "little guys" , the dedicated small NGO's working locally within regions and directly with communities as these arguably have a much larger overall impact on conservation (but be discerning about it and do your research as at least some of the smaller NGOs are also bull****ers and scam artists) than the big and well known international NGO's like WWF and Conservation International. The latter are notoriously plagued with corruption , bureaucracy and mismanagement and frankly I wouldn't advise you to part with any of your hard earned money by donating it to them.
Adding to this I would reccomend avoiding the academic "conservation" route entirely and to focus on gaining direct real world experience through volunteering in your spare time (NOT paid "internships" though).
Moreover, I would suggest that if you do decide to volunteer or contribute money through donations to organizations that you do a lot of research about these prior to doing this and make sure that the money you part with is going to the right place.
Lastly, when donating money it pays to consider the "little guys" , the dedicated small NGO's working locally within regions and directly with communities as these arguably have a much larger overall impact on conservation (but be discerning about it and do your research as at least some of the smaller NGOs are also bull****ers and scam artists) than the big and well known international NGO's like WWF and Conservation International. The latter are notoriously plagued with corruption , bureaucracy and mismanagement and frankly I wouldn't advise you to part with any of your hard earned money by donating it to them.
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