You can't just immediately get a job, as much as I wish it were. Let's find out how my mentor and co-workers got to where they are!
This is Diane, my mentor here at the shelter. She's one of the two animal care attendants. Fifteen years ago, she decided to transition from homemaker to working mom. Upon her hire, she needed to take a number of classes to prepare her for her duties. She learned about the many diseases that may affect shelter animals, how to correctly distribute medication, and how to properly restrain/control animals. Dogs, like kids, can be kind of messy, so she was also able utilize her cleaning skills!
This is Lorraine, the other animal care attendant. Ten years ago, she began working at the shelter part-time. After seven years, she was offered a full-time position, where she's been ever since! Like Diane, she had to undergo various classes and training programs before being able to get to work. The above picture portrays her getting ready to clean a kennel. Nifty!!!
This is Dr. Sipes, the resident vet. She attended SDSU as a biology major, pre-vet emphasis. While in college, she got a job at the San Diego Zoo as a restaurant waitress. During her time at SDSU, she got offered a job as a zookeeper, but declined in order to pursue her true passion of becoming a vet. After graduating from SDSU, she went to the UC Davis Vet School. There, she got her DVM, allowing her to become a full-fledged vet!
After hearing about my co-workers pasts, I've learned the importance of putting your foot in the door at the organizations you're interested in working at. Luckily, I've already started to do that! After I graduate from college, I want to work at the San Diego Zoo. I've already done an internship there, and I plan to get a part-time job at one of their restaurants or gift shops. Hopefully, when I'm done with college, I'll be able to get a full-time job as a zookeeper!
Working at the shelter has reinforced my love for animals, so I still plan to follow my biology degree path through USD. My ultimate goal is to get a job that I enjoy coming to every day, and I can see the San Diego Zoo being that job.
After hearing about my co-workers pasts, I've learned the importance of putting your foot in the door at the organizations you're interested in working at. Luckily, I've already started to do that! After I graduate from college, I want to work at the San Diego Zoo. I've already done an internship there, and I plan to get a part-time job at one of their restaurants or gift shops. Hopefully, when I'm done with college, I'll be able to get a full-time job as a zookeeper!
Working at the shelter has reinforced my love for animals, so I still plan to follow my biology degree path through USD. My ultimate goal is to get a job that I enjoy coming to every day, and I can see the San Diego Zoo being that job.