8/19/2023 0 Comments Phoenix zoo internship![]() ![]() ![]() The zoo volunteer program is made up of eight departments that encompass hoofstock, birds, primates, ponds & carnivores, small mammals, reptiles, safari park and the Americas. There are four main areas in which to volunteer: zoo, aquarium, Shipwreck Cove and Wildlife Encounters. Dress code consists of comfortable, appropriate clothing and closed-toe shoes, no sandals. Volunteers must maintain a professional attitude and appearance as you are representing the zoo and aquarium. Volunteers are required to work a minimum of eight hours a day, one day a week for a minimum of 3 months. Applicants must be at least 18-years old and provide proof of age. If you have an associates from one of those schools, you're more likely to get a job in the zoo field than with just a regular associates.Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park volunteers work closely with zookeeper and aquarium staff performing basic husbandry duties and exhibit maintenance. Those are two-year programs specifically designed for zoo keepers, and if you already have your associates you will have all your basic pre-requisites done, making it faster and cheaper to get through the program. I know there is one in Colorado Springs at Pike's Peak, and one in North Carolina. You could also look in to actual zoo associate programs such as Santa Fe in Florida, or Moorpark in California. You can always go back to school to work on your bachelor's degree while you work. Brookfield really likes to hire from within, so you would have a better shot at volunteering/interning there and turning that in to a paying job. I have ten years of experience working with primates and was recently turned down for a job at LP simply because someone else was MORE qualified than me (meaning they had a four year degree and MORE than ten years working with the animals in the department with the opening). Brookfield, Shedd, and Lincoln Park have excellent intern programs, but you'll need at least a four year degree plus several years of paid experience on top of an internship to get a job at Lincoln Park or Shedd. Smaller zoos are more likely to hire former volunteers/interns with little experience at other zoos. If you want to gain experience without further schooling, expand your search radius to include smaller zoos, and ones that are not AZA accredited. So yes, experience is very, very important. ![]() Those are documented experience and would be an obvious statement to the hiring zoo that you wouldn't need additional training in those areas. I carry 4 permits personally any my family has a approximately 10. Here in Florida there are permits for SO many species. If you are in a state that has any kind of permitting system for exotic species, start working on those requirements, too. Being that I plan on a management position, I will be getting a BS in a science (was told there's no difference in individual degrees, just area of study) but that wouldn't be absolutely necessary for low to mid level keepers. My family works closely with the St Augustine Alligator Farm and I will be interning with them to plus up my resume. I plan (long term) to curate a small zoo or department in a large zoo. I have my AA and 3 years private experience. ![]() Many applications will "require" college degrees of some level, but they'd be more interested in years of experience and may even pass over a more schooled candidate for a more experienced one. Experience beats degrees almost every time in the zoo field. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |