Do you love to be outdoors? There are many benefits to an outdoor job including fresh air and the chance to stay active and enjoy nature’s beauty. There are many outdoor professions available depending on the time of year and your location. Also, many outdoor workers have seasonal flexibility, working as ski instructors in the winter and surf instructors in the summer. There are physical jobs, scientific jobs, artistic jobs– and many that are a combination of these. The possibilities are as wide as this beautiful planet. Below are just a few of our favorite profession, which you may consider if you wish for a career in the great outdoors.
- Park/ Forest Ranger- In this profession you have the responsibility of keeping your surroundings and the people who visit them safe and protected. You will ensure nature is disturbed as little as possible and campers are kept out of harm’s way. While a college degree is not necessary, a Bachelor’s in botany, wildlife, parks and recreation management, or a related field will certainly help. This is certainly a very appealing profession for the nature enthusiast, but of course certain drawbacks include manual labor, working long hours and holiday weekends (busy camping season), and exposure to dangerous elements such as pests and poisonous plants. Even the ubiquitous sun is a risk, and professional park rangers would be wise to speak with a dermatologist in Washington DC– or whatever their area– about protecting themselves.
- Landscaping/Groundskeeping- Areas like the National Mall and the White House in Washington DC are points of national pride. In areas such as this beauty must be maintained. You can be a landscape architect or urban planner. With Many businesses “going green,” designers with an environmental consciousness are in demand to build parks and outdoor facilities and design energy-saving buildings. Just remember again, that as an outdoor job there are risks. The risks mainly draw from falling objects and heavy weights and, as with park ranger jobs, the sun is a factor. Occupational safety laws will probably dictate that you wear headgear and work boots on site. However, it will probably take the guidelines of a skin cancer specialist in Washington DC– or your own landscaping region– to get you to protect your skin.
- Marine Biologist- If you love the ocean, this is for you. There are far more creatures in water than on land and with temperatures changing and salinity increasing, researchers are rushing to learn as much about them as possible before it is too late. Be aware, however, that biology of any kind is a difficult and competitive field and tertiary education– at least a Bachelor’s degree– is a must.
As we continue to highlight more professions on this blog, we will discuss in further details the array of outdoor careers and their benefits. These are just a few of the many potential careers that await you.