How Do I become a Dolphin Trainer?!?

Question

I am 15 years old,i have always loved animals, dolphins are my top i love swimming and, i think i would absolutely love being a dolphin trainer. I have a few years, so what things should i do to help me be prepared and have more of a chance for getting the job? I was thinking that working at sea world being in there dolphin shows, or discovery cove where they take people to meet the dolphins would be the best job!! if you have any advise it would be most appreciated!!! Thank you sooo much!!!

Answer 1

I'm in the same boat you are. I'd love to work with dolphins or any marine animal at Sea World.



I asked Sea World about their qualifications. Here they are:

1. You must be eighteen.

2. You don't HAVE to go to college, but the ones that do go are the ones that ALWAYS get job interviews.

3. You have to have some experience TRAINING animals. [I applied at PetCo as "dog trainer" to try to get some experience]

4. You have to have experience working with animals.

5. You MUST have great communication skills and ability to work a microphone. Take some drama or speech classes.

6. You HAVE to pass their swim test which includes a 200 ft long swim above water. Then you have to swim 100ft UNDER water. After that, you must do a 26 ft dive to the bottom of the pool.



If you don't pass that last one, you don't even get considered for the job.





I'm going to Texas A&M Galveston after I graduate next year. I'm gonna major in marine biology and animal psychology. I'm getting a SCUBA certification as well.



If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me :]

Hope I helped.

Answer 2

they like you to have a psychology degree to work at seaworld and probably also discovery cove. also a marine biology degree would help alot. and if you want to be in the shows you have to be able to swim across the 180 ft(i think) tank without breathing and you have to be able to dive down and touch the bottom(i think its 15ft deep, not sure though)

Answer 3

Internships at research facilities will help to open some doors for you.

Answer 4

try this site: http://www.dolphintrainer.com/career_guide.htm

Answer 5

You need to work on your swimming skills, become scuba certified, improve your public speaking and performance skills (when you watch the SeaWorld videos and animal shows notice how energetic, engaging, and animated the trainers are. You will be a performer and educator for the public as well as a trainer for the animals), and get as much experience with animals as you can. Volunteer at a shelter, with a domestic animal trainer, at a marine mammal rescue, etc. Zoos and Aquariums also usually offer volunteer opportunities for teens and college students. Some have keeper positions, some offer camp counselor positions, other offer jr docents/guides; any of these will give you good experience for a zoological job. There are also camps, classes, and other volunteer opportunities that will give you the experience you need.



Start learning what you can about animal training, animal behavior, psychology, and other subjects that may relate to being an animal trainer. It would also be good to join the International Marine Animal Trainers Association (IMATA). The IMATA also has a list of recommended books.



In college get a degree in either: psychology, animal behavior, animal management, theater, education, or something similar. And take courses in: speech, drama, CPR, swimming, scuba, psychology, animal behavior, animal management, education, zoology, marine bio, etc. If you can in college continue volunteering your time and gaining experience with animals.



After college, you might not be able to get a job right away as a marine animal trainer. You may have to work a different job or work with other animals till a marine animal trainer position becomes available. It might also be a good idea to do some sort of internship before applying. An internship is a good way to get experience and it may help get your foot in the door.



With so many people applying for so few positions, you need to do what you can to give yourself the edge over your competition.



Here are some links. Good Luck.

http://becjobs.com/Scripts/JobSearch.aspx

Associate Trainer, Trainer or Senior Trainer

Park: Sea World San Diego

Type: Seasonal



Description:

Basic Job functions: Enthusiastically represents SeaWorld by displaying a positive attitude, high level of energy and commitment to quality throughout all aspects of the job. Assists the Animal Training staff in providing proper nutrition, appropriate sanitary living conditions, constant care for animals and water interaction depending on need. Principle Duties: Maintains safe and sanitary working areas and living conditions. Prepares daily animal diets, maintains safe and sanitary food preparation and storage areas. Administers animal vitamins under close supervision as required. Develops speaking skills and stage presence for performing supportive roles in education and general public shows. Assist in the training of animals. Develops an awareness of guest satisfaction with the SeaWorld product. Maintains facility pools with the use of SCUBA gear. Maintains excellent physical condition as needed to perform job functions. Required Skills Knowledge: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must have SCUBA certification at the time of applying. Must be able to lift 60 lbs. Must be able to work weekdays, holidays, and nights. Must have at least 6 months of paid animal training experience. Must pass a swim test. Theatrical experience strongly preferred. Required Training Education: Must have a high school diploma or equivalent. Degree in psychology, performing arts or theater, or marine, biological or zoological sciences is desirable.



http://www.seaworld.org/ask-shamu/faq.htm#animal-training

How do I become a marine animal trainer?



The following information is SeaWorld's basic job description, requirements, and background information on an entry-level animal trainer position.

ANIMAL TRAINER

Responsible for the daily care, feeding and maintenance of show animals. Develops and trains animal behaviors and performs in animal shows for the public and educational shows for school groups. An apprenticeship period of at least a year is required for all trainer positions, even with previous experience.

Our requirements for animal trainers include:

° must be at least 18 years of age

° prior experience training animals

° public speaking, drama, or other performance and communication skills (a microphone test is part of the interview process)

° experience working with animals

° scuba diving certification

° CPR certification

° an ability to interact with the public

° academic coursework in zoology, marine biology, animal behavior or psychology (preference is given to those applicants with a college degree)

° strong swimming skills (part of the interview process is a rigorous swim test that includes a 200 ft. freestyle swim, a 100 ft. underwater swim, and a free-dive to the bottom of a 26 ft. pool.)

° excellent physical health and the ability to lift 50 lbs.

In addition, even with previous training experience, new trainers are hired as associate trainers, and learn about SeaWorld’s training methods and animals in at least a one-year apprenticeship period.



HOW TO GET EXPERIENCE

To try and see if a career in animal training or animal care is for you, SeaWorld offers a weeklong Career Camp for grades 9-12 during the summer at all three parks. Check online at SWBG-AdventureCamps.com for more information.

Many colleges and universities offer internship opportunities along with the local zoos or aquariums as part of a zoological science or similar type of degree program. Moorpark College in Southern California offers a special Exotic Animal Training and Management program designed for those who want to enter into zoological careers. In Florida, Santa Fe Community College and Pensacola Junior College offer similar programs. Volunteering at a local animal shelter, veterinarian, or wildlife rescue facility is another great way to get experience. In addition, many zoos and aquariums have docent or other volunteer positions available. It is also helpful to gain experience at the park or facility that you’re interested in working for. At SeaWorld, many of our openings for trainer and animal care positions go to applicants that have worked at the park in another department such as education - so this is a great way to get your foot in the door.



Another thing to keep in mind is when position openings are available. At SeaWorld, we have most openings for trainers and animal care in the early spring, and usually post these positions on our website (www.becjobs.com ) in late winter. During this time we hold the swim tests and microphone tests as the initial parts of the interview process.



As you can imagine, we get hundreds of applicants each year for trainer positions. For killer whale trainers there may only be one or two openings each year— so this is an even more competitive area to get into. While a college degree is not currently required, those applicants that have a degree in marine biology, animal behavior, zoology, psychology, or related fields are almost always the ones that get interviews. Also, the swim test and microphone test are critical parts of the interview process. Most people who take these tests do not pass the underwater swim portion of this test, so it is critical to practice for this.



The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (www.aza.org ) also posts career information and job openings on its website. We also have a lot more info on our website (www.swbg-animals.org ) about training and other animal careers. Other great sites to check out are the websites for the International Marine Animal Training Association (www.imata.org) and the Society for Marine Mammalogy (this has an excellent section on pursuing a career in marine mammal science at

http://www.marinemammalogy.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=84

http://www.usc.edu/org/seagrant/pdfs/Guide.pdf



http://www.swbg-animals.org/connections/shared-video/on-the-job/index.htm?vID=v5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZGxyG6Ixz4

http://www.swbg-animals.org/connections/shared-video/on-the-job/index.htm?vID=v2



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MulfGFInDyw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNL0l6tBEIc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syh1OW5xxBY



http://www.dolphintrainer.com/career_guide.htm

http://www.imata.org/cms.php?13

http://www.imata.org/cms.php?17

http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/training/index.htm

http://www.seaworld.org/career-resources/info-books/zoo-careers/training.htm

http://www.theabma.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=63&Itemid=10075

http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Behavior-Active-Paul-Chance/dp/0495095648/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233260598&sr=8-3

http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Training-Successful-Management-Reinforcement/dp/0961107499/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221245175&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Shoot-Dog-Teaching-Training/dp/1860542387/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233260697&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Lads-Before-Wind-Dolphin-Trainer/dp/1890948047/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233261071&sr=8-1

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/381



https://answersrip.com/question/index?qid=20090331172013AAsqEF8&show=7#profile-info-dkTAIowwaa

What Is The Day In The Life Of A Dolphin Trainer?