How do I become a dolphin trainer?

Question

I live in Texas, and I would love to work at Seaworld San Antonio and train dolphins or whales. I've done all kinds of research on what sort of education I need to do so, and I can never find one straight answer.

I know is some cases, you don't need alot of education, but I would like to increase my chances of getting the job.

What classes should I take?

Do I need hands on experience, like an apprenticeship?

If there are any trainers out there, I would love your advice as well.

Answer 1

You need to hope that you get very lucky or know someone very influential.

Do you know how many people in the world would like this job vs. how many of these jobs are actually available?

There is a better chance of you managing a Sea World, this way you could still go interact with the dolphins, you would get paid better, and even if dolphins were forbidden by  law to be trained, you would still be able to be around the marine environment at work! If this was the case, Accounting & Business degrees would help, and then an MBA or Masters level degree in management would probably give you the best chance of getting there.

If you persist in the quest for a dolphin trainer job then a marine biology degree would help.

Good luck landing your dream job!

Answer 2

You probably need a degree in a related field to even get your foot in the door, but no degree is going to get you the job.  Dolphin training is a very hot job, and a lot of people want to do it, even though the job burns people out at an incredible rate.  

In order to get a job as a trainer at any marine park, you're going to have to arrange to stand out from all of the other trainer wannabees.  All your degree will do is make you one of them.  What else you got?  The one with the best answer to that question will get the job.

Just to be different, I'm going to lay out a path for you, and you won't have to wait to go to college to start, you can start today even if you haven't started high school yet.  You don't need a degree to learn how to be a dog trainer, you just have to know how to train dogs, so start there.  Go to the library and get some books on dog training, read them, and go into business as a dog trainer.  Training dolphins is way different from training dogs, but training pinnipeds is remarkably similar, and I'll bet Sea World San Antonio has some of those that need training as well.  Any experience  training anything could only be a plus for you.  

Go to college somewhere in the L.A. area, preferably near the harbor.  Immediately sign up to be a docent at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro (the part of L.A. next to Long Beach), which will teach you all about the marine environment, and as soon as possible, sign up for the Whale Watch Program, which will train you to be a whale watch narrator and naturalist.  After a semester of training, you will guide whale watch trips representing the Aquarium and the American Cetacean Society, which will look good on your resume´.  

While you're there, get to know John Olguin, the Curator Emeritus of the Aquarium, and get him to explain to you how to mind your manners around cetaceans.  He and his wife have rowed all over the world in small boats, and he has lots of information you can only get from him or me.  Because he had bothered to teach my late wife and I how to mind our manners before we ever went out in our kayak, almost from the beginning, we began having experiences and interactions with cetaceans that other competent researchers in the field either weren't experiencing or weren't reporting.

After your first year, spend the summer in San Francisco, and volunteer as much as you can at the Marine Mammal Center in the Marin headlands across the Golden Gate Bridge, which may be the world's finest facility for treating and rehabilitating sick and injured pinnipeds (seals and sea lions).  It'll give you valuable insight and experience with another group of amimals you might also be asked to train at some point, and it'll look good on your resume´.

During your sophomore year, you will be in the advanced class for experienced whale watch guides at the Aquarium, which will give you much more depth of knowledge in many areas.  During that year, take up sea kayaking, find a partner, and spend as much time as possible paddling around the Channel Islands.  

You won't be taking a camera with you, which is why you will need a partner.  The instant you take your attention off of the cetaceans around you and put it on your camera, in that instant, you become boring and they leave.  But without a camera, you need someone else there to verify what happened or you won't be able to differentiate what you experienced from what you dreamed.  I've been there.

With John's guidence and a bit of canoeing experience, you could stand way above the other wannabees by being the only person applying for the job who knew enough about them to avoid being unintentionally rude to them.  For example, did you know that pointing your nose at a dolphin is extremely rude?  If a dolphin points its head at you, even momentarily, you've been insulted, and if it points its head at you with its head held lower than its body, you'd best leave the water immediately if you don't want to get hurt, but how many dolphin trainers know that going in?

Most dolphin trainers are so glad to get the job, they don't even care that the creatures they will be training are almost comatose from boredom, but you, my friend, will know the difference from having encountered them in the wild, and you will start out with more empathy than most trainers ever get.

Answer 3

What classes should I take?

Marine Biology, Animal Behavior, Animal Psychology, Zoology, Animal Science, Drama/Speech, SCUBA, Swimming, .....

Do I need hands on experience, like an apprenticeship?

YES, get hands-on experience now and possibly volunteer or intern during and/or after college. Also, from what I've read you will also be doing an apprenticeship before getting to train the dolphins.

I hope this sites will help. Good Luck.

http://www.aqua.org/trainer.html

Generally, there are three things the Aquarium looks for in marine mammal trainers:

   1. education

   2. experience

   3. a positive attitude.

http://animalscience.calpoly.edu/areas_o...

What steps did you take to get to where you are?

I have always loved animals and I knew I wanted to work with them in some capacity. I came to Sea World when I was growing up and after seeing the shows I knew animal training was what I wanted to do. I have always been a swimmer, which is one of the major requirements of the job. Having a love for the ocean, I was more than happy to get my SCUBA certification, another important requirement. While in school I took courses in animal management, biology and psychology. I also got my foot in the door at Sea World by doing an internship for the Sea World Orlando education department.

What advice would you offer current animal science students with an interest in exotic animals?

Most zoos and aquariums offer some type of internship or volunteer opportunity. When applying for these jobs upon graduation (internship and volunteer) experiences are invaluable. Any hands-on experience with any type of animal is helpful. The International Marine Animal Trainer's Association is an organization that many animal trainers, keepers and veterinarians are members of. The IMATA organization provides a lot of information about training, education and job opportunities around the world.

http://www.seaworld.org/education-progra...

http://www.seaworld.org/career-resources...

http://www.seaworld.org/career-resources...

Animal trainers have one of the most visible jobs within a zoological park - the one most people ask about, and one of the most difficult to get. There are a very limited number of openings in this field. Background experience helpful for a position in this department would include courses or knowledge in zoology, behavioral and experimental psychology, animal behavior, public speaking, communications, education, and theater.

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Due to the specialized nature of the work, an on-the-job apprenticeship is necessary. Even if an individual has had previous experience training animals, he or she must go through a period of time during which he or she becomes familiar with the individual animals' personalities and training methods used before he or she interacts directly with them.

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Education: Associate's or Bachelor's degree preferred in psychology, biological sciences, or drama; in some cases, scuba certification

http://www.imata.org/index.php?option=co...

DO I HAVE TO HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE?

Simply put, the answer is no; you don't HAVE to have a college degree. Will a degree be advantageous? Definitely! A degree will enhance your knowledge and understanding of your career. There are numerous facilities that are unwilling to hire without a degree or a degree in progress. Usually, the only away around this requirement is to have a substantial amount of applicable experience. Realistically, a college degree is very important.

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR MY CAREER?

There are many ways to prepare yourself for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead of you! The marine mammal field is constantly growing and changing. It is important to do as much research as you can. Take classes that will advance your public speaking skills and knowledge of the animals and environment in which you will be working. If you are going to be working with animals, the abilities to think clearly, quickly and with common sense are unspeakably important. Physical fitness is also a definite prerequisite. You will probably spend a great deal of time in or near an aquatic environment making strong swimming skills essential. In addition, if you are not already certified, you should probably take SCUBA lessons. Most facilities require that you pass a swim test and be SCUBA certified before they will hire you.

HOW DO I BECOME INVOLVED?

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to become involved in the marine animal community. It is important to visit facilities and learn their operations, resources and procedures. This may give you a better idea of the organizations you would like to work with. On a more national level, you should consider joining at least one of several professional organizations. The best way to learn about job opportunities is to become a member of an established reliable professional organization. For instance, IMATA, like other professional organizations, publishes a quarterly magazine, Soundings, which includes not only current information but job availabilities as well.

SHOULD I VOLUNTEER OR INTERN?

It is relatively easy to gain practical experience and knowledge before you professionally enter the field of your choice. Volunteering and interning provide you with experience in a hands on setting before you make your final decision on which career to pursue. It is important to prepare yourself for a paid or unpaid position, it's a foot in the door and a step in the right direction!

http://www.vanaqua.org/education/aquafac...

http://www.brookfieldzoo.org/pagegen/pre...

http://www.seaworld.org/career-resources...

http://www.theswig.com/FAQ.htm

http://www.dolphintrainer.com/career_gui...

http://web.archive.org/web/2001080419345...

http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/current_s...

16. Will the EATM program give me an advantage over any other schools or programs?

YES! There are facilities which contact us first when they have openings, because they prefer to hire our graduates. We have a job board at the EATM office, and also a posting on-line for graduates of the program.

For example, in March of 2001, the San Diego Zoo had openings for 7 summer positions. They received over 200 applications. All 7 of the people they hired were from the EATM graduating class of May 2001. Many of our students want to train marine mammals - we send graduates all over the world to do this. Especially to the Caribbean - a new Dolphin Program hired 4 graduates in the summer of 2001, and more in 2002, 2003 & 2004. The May 2003 graduates currently have many wonderful jobs. One is working in Shamu Stadium at Sea World in San Diego, training the Killer Whales! Several others are with Universal Studios - both in Orlando and Hollywood. Others are with various Marine Mammal facilities in the U.S. and abroad. Graduates from the class of 2004 are working training Guide Dogs in California, with marine mammals at Sea World Orlando, Sea Life Marine Park in Hawaii, Six Flags Marine World in Vallejo, California - and many other facilities. Graduates from the class of 2008 have jobs at - Sea World San Diego, the U.S. Navy training sea lions, Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, Universal Studios Hollywood - and many other places.  EATM graduates get jobs everywhere.

http://www.thefutureschannel.com/dockets...

http://www.amazon.com/Kicked-Bitten-Scra...

http://www.seaworld.org/career-resources...

http://www.wonderferret.com/zooed/

http://www.tmmc.org/learning/education/c...

http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/current_s...

http://www.spawar.navy.mil/sandiego/tech...

http://www.dolphinsplus.com/dolphin-educ...

http://www.dolphins.org/help_volunteer_i...

http://www.dolphins.org/marineed_trainin...

http://www.dolphintraining101.com/index....

http://www.gulfworldmarinepark.com/gulf%...

http://www.indyzoo.com/content.aspx?CID=...

http://www.marinemammalconservancy.org/h...

http://www.marineanimalrescue.org/script...

http://www.marinemammalstrandingcenter.o...

http://www.dolphincommunicationproject.o...

http://wilddolphin.org/volunteer.html

http://dolphinencounters.com/education-i...