It’s that time of year again. SeaWorld is opening in just a few short weeks and we in the Animal Training department are working with the animals to prepare for the many shows, animal interaction programs, and camps that we will offer. In order to provide all of these products we need a team of animal professionals who are dedicated to caring for the physical and mental needs of the animals. As the hiring coordinator for the animal training department it’s my responsibility to connect with applicants who are interested in making this their career. Countless high school and college students, as well as people already working in the animal industry inquire year round about employment opportunities. Do you blame them? It’s an awesome job. In fact, we are currently in the midst of posting employment opportunities on www.SeaWorldJobs.com for seasonal entry level animal trainers. But what exactly does it take to be an animal trainer? Well listen up!
Many people are shocked to find that the college background most useful to our job is psychology. (And you thought we were all marine biologists!) We utilize principles of behavior modification to teach animals, so an understanding of psychology is helpful. Just as important as an applicant’s educational background is his ability to swim. Because we swim with the best swimmers in the world, we ask applicants to take a swim test to demonstrate how comfortable they are in the water. I’ll be honest, the test is pretty rigorous but it is necessary to ensure that whomever we hire is in great physical shape. They’ll need to be in order to meet the strenuous demands of the job. All trainers must also be SCUBA certified. Finally, our animal trainers are also performers. An understanding of acting, public speaking, and movement is helpful to our jobs and during the interview process we have creative ways to test for these skills.
I'll let you in on a secret; most people do not pass our rigorous Animal Training swim test. We are looking for the best of the best and won’t settle until we find it. Our animals deserve it. But if you are interested in a career with us, don’t let that statistic scare you. As I look out my window I see Steve Lacy. Steve has been a sea lion trainer and most recently moved over to work with the beluga whales. Steve actually took the swim test five times before he got hired. He’s now one of the supervisors in the Animal Training department. Pretty impressive!
So if you love animals, are in good swimming shape, and have the desire to have one of the most fascinating jobs in the world, consider becoming a SeaWorld Animal Trainer. We’re accepting applications online right now at www.SeaWorldJobs.com. Who knows, by the end of the summer you may be one of the newest members of the SeaWorld Animal Training team. I look forward to working with ya!
