News & Events

March 2, 2020

4 Electrical Jobs Ideal for Animal Lovers

4 Electrical Jobs Ideal for Animal Lovers

If you love animals, then you may look for a career where you are surrounded by all types of different creatures. Besides more traditional jobs like a zookeeper or vet, you may find yourself in the world of animals with a career as an electrician. When you go through an apprenticeship and training program, you learn skills for a variety of careers directly related to animals. Learn about the potential jobs and various ways to learn specific skills to cater directly to jobs you seek out.

Zoo and Aquarium Jobs 

Zoos and aquariums all over the United States help preserve, educate, and showcase a wide variety of animals. Due to special cages, enclosures, and lighting, electricians are needed on staff for many of the larger venues.

An electrician job at a zoo or aquarium gives you the chance to see animals on a daily basis. With the job, you also have the opportunity to go behind the scenes to see how the locations run and operate on a daily basis. You may even have the chance to go closer to the animals than you imagined.

Once you complete your zoo training, the aquarium and zoo facilities association provides a resource to search and find electrician careers all over the country. As you train, look through the various job listings to see what type of training and experience needed for the jobs.

Traveling Animal Shows

If you love animals and travel, then you may find a lot of positives with an electrical job as part of a traveling animal show. Shows may include circuses, carnivals, fairs, and animal specific talent shows.

As an electrician, some of your duties may include help with stage set-up, light rigs, and portable power supplies. In each new city you visit, you go through the same process as you set up and take down the various show elements.

Some shows are seasonal and others are year-round, giving you a variety of options and the chance to be around a variety of intelligent and trained animals.

Pet Food Companies

Even if you do not have direct contact with animals, you may find a job which helps animals. A number of pet food manufacturing companies hire electricians for various options. Your electrical knowledge may help with wiring, light rigs, and the electrical components on manufacturing machine.

The stable job allows you to practice your field while the company produces a wide range of animal foods. Some of the bigger companies include cat food and dog food, but other companies offer food options for animals like birds or mice.

As you branch out and view your job options, consider the variety of companies who hire electricians.

College Electrician

A college may not be the most obvious choice for an animal lover, but there are numerous colleges with a focus on animal-based education. Even if you do not attend the college under an animal major, you have the opportunity to work at a college as an electrician.

A college electrician job covers a wide-range of tasks. You will likely explore the whole campus to help with electrical inspections, upgrades, and problems. Colleges with animal programs will give you exposure to a variety of animals.

For example, North Idaho College offers Zoology and Pre-Veterinary Medicine along with a Wildlife Management Degree option. The California Institute of Technology has the Caltech Animal Team, which helps take in and rescue all types of homeless animals. Electrical jobs at colleges like the ones mentioned will give you a lot of animal exposure.

Training is the first step to an electrical career. Find out more about our electrical training program at ICE Greater Cincinnati. We help set you up for a successful career in the field of electricians.