Career Advice

[Remington]

A question for everybody, because PD has some very intelligent people on it:

My sister is currently going through high school, and can't decide on what kind of career to pursue.

She is:
-Very good with animals
-Artistic (excellent flute player, and enjoys drawing)
-Likes decorating

Her plan had always been to become a veterinarian, but her current marks in biology and chemistry aren't going to support that. Vet tech she could do, but where we live vet techs barely make above minimum wage. She is talking to the career counselor (interior decorating or animal therapy was suggested), but I'd like to know if anyone here has any ideas.

[Doktor Howl]

A question for everybody, because PD has some very intelligent people on it:

My sister is currently going through high school, and can't decide on what kind of career to pursue.

She is:
-Very good with animals
-Artistic (excellent flute player, and enjoys drawing)
-Likes decorating

Her plan had always been to become a veterinarian, but her current marks in biology and chemistry aren't going to support that. Vet tech she could do, but where we live vet techs barely make above minimum wage. She is talking to the career counselor (interior decorating or animal therapy was suggested), but I'd like to know if anyone here has any ideas.

In the coming economy, I can make a few suggestions.

1.  Drug dealer. 

2.  Corporate spokeswoman for the other drug lords (Bayer, etc).

3.  Back up dancer for Enya videos.

4.  Secret police officer for Harper's New Canada.

5.  Convict.  The pay sucks, but there's job security.

6.  Professional photobomber.  Oh, wait.

7.  CD polisher.

8.  Truck driver in a series of tubes.

9.  Wiccan high priestess/huckster.

10.  Politician.  She should, however, tell people she's a female WWF wrestler, to avoid embarrassing your Gram.

[Eater of Clowns]

One profession does encompass all three of those strengths:

Taxidermist.

[Remington]

One profession does encompass all three of those strengths:

Taxidermist.

She likes live animals.

[Doktor Howl]

One profession does encompass all three of those strengths:

Taxidermist.

She likes live animals.

Well, that would be unorthodox, but perhaps legal in Alberta.  You're a bunch of fucking savages, after all.

[ñͤͣ̄ͦ̌̑͗͊͛͂͗ ̸̨̨̣̺̼̣̜͙͈͕̮̊̈́̈͂͛̽͊ͭ̓͆ͅé ̰̓̓́ͯ́́͞]

She might consider taking a year or so to gain some perspective and life experience before going back to school. There's something about just living your life at that age that helps your interests and priorities crystallize. Keeping a journal also can be a great tool to help sift through the possibilities.

Another way to approach it could be for her to take just the basic/required fundamental courses like math and writing and see if those classes help collapse her educational wave function. If they're done at a community college it won't cost as much and will be very likely to transfer to a larger or more specialized school.

[Doktor Howl]

She might consider taking a year or so to gain some perspective and life experience before going back to school.

YES, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.  THEN SHE'LL FALL IN WITH A BAD CROWD AND GET ARRESTED SHOPLIFTING TO SUPPORT HER COFFEE CRISP HABIT.  HER LIFE WILL BE RUINED, AND SHE'LL HAVE TO LIVE IN A VAN, DOWN BY THE RIVER GLACIER!

[Remington]

She might consider taking a year or so to gain some perspective and life experience before going back to school. There's something about just living your life at that age that helps your interests and priorities crystallize. Keeping a journal also can be a great tool to help sift through the possibilities.

Another way to approach it could be for her to take just the basic/required fundamental courses like math and writing and see if those classes help collapse her educational wave function. If they're done at a community college it won't cost as much and will be very likely to transfer to a larger or more specialized school.

That's a good idea, but I'm not sure how much our parents (teachers) would go for it. I think the fear is that if we take a few years off, we might not go back and get our post-secondary.

Mainly, she's looking for a career that involves animals (horses especially) that doesn't require super-high marks.

[Remington]

She might consider taking a year or so to gain some perspective and life experience before going back to school.

YES, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.  THEN SHE'LL FALL IN WITH A BAD CROWD AND GET ARRESTED SHOPLIFTING TO SUPPORT HER COFFEE CRISP HABIT.  HER LIFE WILL BE RUINED, AND SHE'LL HAVE TO LIVE IN A VAN, DOWN BY THE RIVER GLACIER!

Shush. At least we have water.

[Doktor Howl]

She might consider taking a year or so to gain some perspective and life experience before going back to school.

YES, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.  THEN SHE'LL FALL IN WITH A BAD CROWD AND GET ARRESTED SHOPLIFTING TO SUPPORT HER COFFEE CRISP HABIT.  HER LIFE WILL BE RUINED, AND SHE'LL HAVE TO LIVE IN A VAN, DOWN BY THE RIVER GLACIER!

Shush. At least we have water.

AND YOU WASTE IT!  YOU LET IT JUST DRAIN AWAY.

[Doktor Howl]

She might consider taking a year or so to gain some perspective and life experience before going back to school. There's something about just living your life at that age that helps your interests and priorities crystallize. Keeping a journal also can be a great tool to help sift through the possibilities.

Another way to approach it could be for her to take just the basic/required fundamental courses like math and writing and see if those classes help collapse her educational wave function. If they're done at a community college it won't cost as much and will be very likely to transfer to a larger or more specialized school.

That's a good idea, but I'm not sure how much our parents (teachers) would go for it. I think the fear is that if we take a few years off, we might not go back and get our post-secondary.

Mainly, she's looking for a career that involves animals (horses especially) that doesn't require super-high marks.

Have her talk to Lizzay about that, on IRC.

[Doktor Howl]

A question for everybody, because PD has some very intelligent people on it:

My sister is currently going through high school, and can't decide on what kind of career to pursue.

She is:
-Very good with animals
-Artistic (excellent flute player, and enjoys drawing)
-Likes decorating

Her plan had always been to become a veterinarian, but her current marks in biology and chemistry aren't going to support that. Vet tech she could do, but where we live vet techs barely make above minimum wage. She is talking to the career counselor (interior decorating or animal therapy was suggested), but I'd like to know if anyone here has any ideas.

In the coming economy, I can make a few suggestions.

1.  Drug dealer. 

2.  Corporate spokeswoman for the other drug lords (Bayer, etc).

3.  Back up dancer for Enya videos.

4.  Secret police officer for Harper's New Canada.

5.  Convict.  The pay sucks, but there's job security.

6.  Professional photobomber.  Oh, wait.

7.  CD polisher.

8.  Truck driver in a series of tubes.

9.  Wiccan high priestess/huckster.

10.  Politician.  She should, however, tell people she's a female WWF wrestler, to avoid embarrassing your Gram.

All that work, and the ungrateful Northern barbarians ignore it. 

[Eater of Clowns]

Incidentally, I just reconnected with a high school friend via facebook.  She was a mediocre student, and after high school spent a few years travelling around the country basically living out of her car.  She found a place she liked living, went to school, and is now working as a veterinarian.

Horse jobs are difficult to come by.  Lizzie would probably be able to offer some insight in that regard.  I have a friend who was an equine studies major and she's now working as a high-end dog food saleswoman.  That's what pays the bills, but she also has a large part in a local rescue and a training course, so she works closely with dogs on a regular basis.

Is there just a general Animal Science or Animal Studies major?  UMass Amherst had a good program that included a camelid studies course where you tended alpacas.  Maybe there's a program like that for walruses or whatever the fuck you have in the cold dark north.

[Remington]

She might consider taking a year or so to gain some perspective and life experience before going back to school. There's something about just living your life at that age that helps your interests and priorities crystallize. Keeping a journal also can be a great tool to help sift through the possibilities.

Another way to approach it could be for her to take just the basic/required fundamental courses like math and writing and see if those classes help collapse her educational wave function. If they're done at a community college it won't cost as much and will be very likely to transfer to a larger or more specialized school.

That's a good idea, but I'm not sure how much our parents (teachers) would go for it. I think the fear is that if we take a few years off, we might not go back and get our post-secondary.

Mainly, she's looking for a career that involves animals (horses especially) that doesn't require super-high marks.

Have her talk to Lizzay about that, on IRC.

Lizzay?

She might consider taking a year or so to gain some perspective and life experience before going back to school.

YES, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.  THEN SHE'LL FALL IN WITH A BAD CROWD AND GET ARRESTED SHOPLIFTING TO SUPPORT HER COFFEE CRISP HABIT.  HER LIFE WILL BE RUINED, AND SHE'LL HAVE TO LIVE IN A VAN, DOWN BY THE RIVER GLACIER!

Shush. At least we have water.

AND YOU WASTE IT!  YOU LET IT JUST DRAIN AWAY.

Hardly. We bottle it and sell it to fat Americans for 20,000% markup.




...What? You never wondered where Aquafina came from?

[Doktor Howl]

Maybe there's a program like that for walruses or whatever the fuck you have in the cold dark north.

THE CANADIAN MOUNTAIN WALRUS!