Veterinarian Assistant and Laboratory Animal

Caretaker Matthew Renaud

1-22-103rd Hour

Career Tech Foundations

INTRODUCTIONDid you know that in 2008, 220,400 people in America worked in the animal assistant field. The career I would like to be in is a Veterinarian Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker. The reason I want to be in this career field is because I love animals. I always enjoyed watching Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter, he was a great inspiration to me. I have been interested in animals since I was about six. I will be researching the working conditions, education, job outlook, earnings, and related occupations for this field.

Nature of Work

These are some things that you would do on a daily basis if you are going to be a veterinarian assistant-• Train• Feed • Water• Groom• Bathe• Exercise animals • Clean • Disinfect • Repair their cages • Play with the animals• Provide companionship• Observe behavioral changes that could indicate illness or injury

Working ConditionsWork may be-• Unpleasant• Physical• Emotionally demanding• Sometimes dangerous• Shift are or can be 24 hours• Or 8 hours a day, 5-6 days a week• Indoor and outdoor work

Training, Qualifications, and Advancements

• You need a high school diploma or GED equivalent• In the future I will hopefully go to Florida State University• The classes I will take now are-• Biology• Chemistry• And other advanced science classes• I want to be in AP science classes

Job Outlook/Employment• I want to find career openings in Florida at Disney’s Animal Kingdom• Or in a veterinarian clinic in Florida• Excellent job outlook• Much faster than average employment• Employment rate will grow 21 percent over the next decade• Employment is rising

EarningsLife style goals are-• Go to college in Florida• Being married with a family• High income• Live in Florida• Work in a good environment• $16,720 and $24,300 a year are the earnings• I would like more but I love this job• I will buy a nice house for my family with these earnings

Related OccupationsBack up career-• Animal control workerResponsibilities-• Investigate reports of animal attacks/ animal cruelty• Interviewing witnesses• Collecting evidence• Remove stray, uncontrolled, or abused animals from undesirable condition• Always working around the area• Outlook is good in the future• Get $30,310 a year• Need a high school diploma and apply to a college• I do not like to see animals get hurt

SummaryMy feelings about being a Veterinarian Assistant/Animal Caretaker are good. I really like animals and I feel good about this job. It has a good job outlook, it pays okay, but I don’t care because I will be doing something I love. I want to move to Florida and work at The Animal Kingdom at Disney World and take care of all of the animals. Since I love animals and Disney this would be a great job for me. I would like to have a family and go to work every day and be happy with what I am doing, and if I can go into this career I will be. I look forward to being with and caring for the animals and having a friendship with them. The one thing that I am not looking forward to is cleaning the cages and things like that. My learning experience over all is that I still want to be a Veterinarian Assistant or Animal Caretaker, and even though it does not pay the best I would still like to be in this field.

• http://www.ehow.com/how_2081167_become-animal-control-worker.html

• http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos168.htm

• http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/profiles/careers/106195.html

• http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/507/Animal-Caretaker.html• http://www.qualityinfo.org/olmisj/ArticleReader?itemid=00002608

Work Cited