Retraining to a marine type job!?

Question

Hi there, for what its worth i am a trained PADI divemaster. However this is my only relevant qualification in the area of marine life. I am 27 now and want to restudy so that one day i will be in a position to study marine wildlife.

I have no levels as i quit them early but wanted to ask somebody what the best education path would be if i wanted to be a marine biologist or a zoologist. And if i didnt want to go that far what other jobs could i do that would have me working alongside sharks, whales and other large paligic sea life. I am prepared for a long haul in study but i dont know what i should be studying or where! Any suggestions would be much appreciatedand if there are any marine biologists reading this that want a fun, trained diver to help them then let me know :)

Answer 1

You are still very young, so no worries! You speak of levels, so I am not sure where you are located.

One of the best ways to get started is by volunteering. Get out there and get your feet wet - literally. You could work at an aquarium (with your diver cert) in the tanks, etc. The aquarium, or any marine life/science center in your area (if there is one) would be a great place to start rubbing elbows and making contacts.

You are going to need to go back to school. Most of the internships, summer labs, etc., are open to either students or people with prior education under their belts. We had a woman (32 years old) who came out to volunteer with us and demonstrated such a passion that one of the professors at uni waved her through to some of the higher level oceanography courses. She's on her way to finishing up the necessary coursework (and not having to get a second undergraduate degree) to allow her to apply for a master's program.

Your diving CAN help you. While not a requirement to be a marine biologist, it will give a leg up when checking into opportunities to get your feet in the door. See if your city/state/country (wherever you are) has any watershed monitoring projects, water analysis/collection projects - govt agencies are typically low on funds and welcome volunteers.

Starting later in life usually means you have a regular life you have to keep up with - bills, job, etc. - so get some volunteer time in while taking your classes. You will need a lot of math and biology, chemistry and physics, so if you have a community type college (which lets you clear these prereqs  on the cheap and when its convenient for you), I would start there. Knock those out, volunteer, rub elbows and someone will take you into the fold. Find out what university you might want to attend and start corresponding. Set up a meeting to chat with the department about your goals. Contact some of the grad students there and ask them if they have any contacts/opportunities/need (free) help with their work.

Best of luck to you!